Savin' Me Money
by Phillip's Princess
Summary: Jenna Thomas is forced to the streets in an effort to earn money to support herself and her ailing mother. When her boyish disguise is discovered how will the rest of the newsies react, and what will happen when she realizes that she's in love with one of the boys?
1. Jenna

All right, everyone, this is my first Newsies fanfic ever and I'm hoping you will all enjoy it. I hope I'll get a lot of people to R&R, so please do! I love to hear what all of you think, so, yeah, I just can't wait to hear what you all think and I hope all of you will enjoy it. I tried to make it all as realistic and in character as possible. Enjoy:)

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**Savin' Me Money  
**

**Chapter 1  
**

"How do I look, Mom?" the girl asked.

"I'd swear I didn't know you; you look just like a boy," the woman replied.

"Really, no hair stickin' outta my hat or nuttin'?" she asked, straightening her hair and tucking a few stray stands underneath it.

"You look fine, trust me, I'd never know the difference," her mother assured her, chuckling. "But, Jenna, girls can be newsies too, I don't know why you feel like you have to dress like a boy to be a newsie."

"Ah, Mom, I ain't gonna have a bunch a guys thinkin' that I can't take care of myself, plus, I'll make friends easier dis way, and Mom, there ain't hardly any girl newsies 'round here," she said, listing the reasons behind her disguise.

Jenna Thomas was a spunky seventeen-year-old with beautiful, long red hair and blue eyes that sparkled with excitement. She wasn't afraid of anything and was quite the tomboy. Her mother had come down with cancer a year ago and now she couldn't even work anymore. Her father had died three years ago leaving them without much money to begin with. The situation had just snowballed after her father's death. Her mother had cancer and they could barely afford pain killers, which was all Jenna could give her because they couldn't afford a visit from the doctor. There was nothing else for her to do except leave school and become a newsie. She didn't mind though, she was ready for a change of scene. School bored her and all of the girls made fun of her because of her boyish ways. Life would never go back to the way it was, she knew that. More than likely her mother would die and there was nothing else to do but either bear up under it and accept it or cry, which she refused to do. Jenna wasn't one to break or cry without a dang good reason.

Her mother didn't doubt that she would fit in fine with the newsies; she just wished that she would act a bit more grown up. Jenna was much more grown up than her mother knew though. She had no other way to deal with her current situation but block it out, act like it didn't exist. Maybe that was another reason she was so eager to leave school where the teacher asked her at least once a week how her mother was doing. She carried all these burdens herself and she was afraid that if she got too close to someone she would loose them or pull them down with her own problems so she was always a little hesitant to really get close to someone. She never complained though, especially now that she could roam the streets and gamble without anyone thinking it was "unladylike." She felt free somewhat. The only thing pulling her down was the issue of money because everything she didn't spend on more newspapers she had to save for her mother. She almost felt as though she had her mother's life in her hands, which scared her.

"Fine, Jenna, you just get out there and be yourself," her mother laughed.

"That's just what I intend ta do," she said with a nod, waltzing out the door.

* * *

"Dear me, what have we got here?" The boy nudged the one next to him with his shoulder, his hand occupied by a cigar through two of his fingers. The boy next to him turned his head and followed the other's eyes to where he was staring. 

"I dunno, new guy more'n likely," he replied.

"Hey, Jack!" the first boy cried as a boy much taller than he with a cowboy hat hanging down his back turned, a stack of papers over his shoulder.

"Yeah, Race?" he asked.

"Look at what we got here," he said, nodding toward Jenna's figure as she approached the group of newsies.

"New guy?" Jack asked.

"Must be," the third boy said.

"Well, why don't we just introduce him to New Yawk?" Jack decided as he walked up to Jenna and the other two boys snickered softly. "Hey, kid, ya new 'round here?"

"First day," she replied in the voice she had practiced over and over. She had finally gotten the tone perfect and after a few days it became easy to switch from one to the other.

Her costume was also easy to adjust to since she hated dresses and anything that came with them. She wore a dirty, old tan hat flipped backward so that the brim covered her hair in case some came loose. Her shirt was a dirtied white that was extremely loose so as not to give away her identity. She may have acted like a boy but she was built like a girl and couldn't ignore that. Her pants were tan and loose as well with a matching pair of suspenders and a few patches and holes here and there.

"Ya got a name?" Jack asked.

"Jim," she replied smoothly.

"Well, Jim, it bein' your foist day we wouldn't want ya to get lost," he said as the two boys behind him snickered even more.

"I can make me way around this city by myself, and I can sell me papes too," she said proudly, waltzing by the three.

"Pretty confident for a new guy," one of the boys said.


	2. The Gang

Well, everyone, here's chappie 2. I hope you're all enjoying this so far. I promise, it picks up, you just gotta be patient cough cough Caitlin. LOL. Just kidding. Anyway, LEAVE REVIEWS:)

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**Chapter 2**

"Hey, how'd ya do today?" Jack asked Jenna, coming up to her figure that was sprawled out on a bench.

The sun was just starting to set and she would have to be home soon to fix supper for her mother. She dreaded her house, it was no home. It wasn't her mother's condition; it was the sense of death you got just walking into the place. Her mother was pale and sickly and the house was a one room apartment in the slums. It was better than sleeping on the streets, but not by much; the bench felt pretty comfortable to her. The house, or room, was cold and empty except for the small kitchen area, a table for four, and one small bed the two shared. There was also a small rocking chair they had recently bought for her mother. Thinking of that bed, Jenna preferred the bench, it had more space than the thing she slept on every night. Her mother had pictures of her father strewn everywhere about the place, and though she wanted remember him, the pictures just added to Jenna's sorrow. She lifted her head from the bench to see, Jack and two other boys staring into her face.

Jack had light brown hair and wore a red bandana around his neck. His gray shirt was covered partially by a black vest that matched his pants. The black cowboy hat always completed his ensemble and the newsies called him "cowboy" because his dream was to go to Santa Fe, New Mexico and have a different life.

The second boy had darker curly brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a blue shirt and brown vest with brown pants. The third boys looked about eight years old but in reality was eleven. He was dressed in tan colors with a matching hat. The other boy's hat wasn't visible because he had stuffed it in one of his back pockets as many of the newsies would do occasionally.

"Sold all me papes," she said proudly.

"How many'd ya get?" Jack asked.

"Fifty today," she replied.

"Pretty good for the foist day," he replied. "Right, Dave?" He turned and grinned at the boy beside him. He snickered. "Ya see, Jim, you just ask Davey here about sellin' papes 'cause Davey only took twenty papes his foist day, isn't that right, Dave?" The boy seemed ashamed and knew he was being teased as his face turned slightly red and the smaller boy laughed.

"Why?" Jenna asked as if Davey had been completely stupid.

"Well, that was before he learned that headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes," Jack said.

"You already knew that though," the little boy said.

"Pretty experienced for a new guy," Davey said.

"You sure you never done this before?" Jack asked. She shook her head.

"Nope," she replied.

"Well, I'd say you've won a place in the gang, you gotta place ta stay? We all sleep one place, doesn't cost too much either, seein' as you sold all your papes," Jack offered.

"Nah, I got me own place," she replied, standing up. As she did so she pulled a small box out of her pocket. Opening the box she pulled out one thin toothpick and stuck it in her mouth, sticking the box back in her back pocket.

"Ya got supper? You can come over to my place with us, I know my parents wouldn't mind," Davey offered. She shook her head again.

"Maybe some other time," she said, walking off.

* * *

Davey's sister, Sarah, greeted the three as they entered the house. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes that sparkled with anticipation every time she saw Jack, so did his as a matter of fact. Sarah was the oldest followed by Davey and then finally the youngest, Les. Jack would have supper at the house every now and then but more recently it had been every night. 

"So, a new guy came in today," Jack announced to the table.

"Really?" Sarah said. "Who?"

"His name's Jim," Jack replied.

"So, did you show him how it's done?" she asked.

"Actually, he didn't need any help, he went off on his own and when we finally met up wid him he's sold all his papes. He started out wid fifty, that's pretty good for the foist day," he explained.

"Sounds like a natural born newsie," Sarah said.

* * *

"Hey, Jim, you wanna come sell papes with me today, I heard you was good," came the voice of a boy hobbling over to Jenna with one crutch. 

"Sure, why not," she said. As the group made its way down the street, Jenna noticed that one of the boys veered off from the gang. "Hey, Crutchy, who's that? Ya know I still don't know everyone yet." Crutchy turned to where Jenna was pointing and smiled.

"Ah, that's Racetrack," he said.

"Where's he goin'?" she asked.

"To the tracks, he sneaks in to watch the races and sells papes down there too, usually bets on a race or two," Crutchy replied.

"Oh," she said, chewing on her toothpick.

"Yeah, if you ever gamble with him you'd better be sure, he's the best," he warned. She grinned. Jenna had been the best gambler at her school, whenever the boys would let her play, and now she couldn't wait to challenge him.

Racetrack wore a white shirt with a black vest and pants and gray colored hat. His dark brown hair matched his eyes and his heavy Brooklyn accent set him apart from the rest even more. Almost every boy had one but his was especially noticeable. He could always make you laugh with his sarcastic sense of humor.

Jenna was quickly putting name with faces with the rest of the boys. Obviously there was Jack, the leader, and Davey and his brother Les. There was Crutchy, whose nickname was immediately known, Kid Blink who wore an eye patch, and Specs who had glasses. There was Mush and Skittery, Boots and Snipeshooter, one of the younger boys. The rest would take her longer to remember, but not much longer. Now there was Racetrack, and she had a feeling that she wasn't going to forget him.


	3. The Bet

Hey, everyone, I hope you're enjoying the story. Stuff to all of you, PLEASE R&R! I REALLY want to know what all of you think but I won't unless you review. It does frustrate me when I get dozens of people reading a story but none of them review, then I can never tell if they like it or not. Anyway, notes.

elleestJenn: No, my name is not Jenna but I'm glad you're enjoying the story regardless of what my name is. LOL. My name is Rachel and all my friends call me Red Rae Rae because I have red hair, that's where my fanfic name comes from. LOL. :)

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**Chapter 3**

"So, how's it going?" came the voice of Jenna's mother as they sat at the kitchen table.

"Goin' fine, Mom," she said, sounding annoyed.

"So, what are you doin' with the money?" she asked. Jenna immediately felt a pang of sorrow as her mother said these words. Her mother didn't know she was saving her money for her, she didn't want her to. She knew her mother wouldn't want her begging for money just for her. She knew Jenna was saving money to pay the bills and to buy food, but the rest she wanted Jenna to spend on her own stuff. Little did she know that there wasn't much left over. If Jenna ever spent any money it went to another box of toothpicks.

"Just savin' it," Jenna replied, pulling the toothpick box out of her back pocket.

"Oh, Jenna," her mother sighed.

"What?" she asked.

"Don't pick your teeth, it's a horrible habit," she said.

"Mom, I ain't a girl anymore, none of the boys care," she said as her mother rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Toothpick!" came Racetrack's voice. "Toothpick! Hey, ya deaf?" He tapped Jenna on the shoulder as she immediately whipped around. 

"What?" she asked.

"Ya deaf, Toothpick, I've been callin' you," he said.

"Toothpick?" she asked, confused.

"That's your name from now on," he explained.

"Oh," she said.

"Yeah, now, you wanna play?" he asked, pointing at the circle and holding out a handful or marbles.

"All right," she decided, her face twisting into a sly grin. This was what she'd been waiting for, the chance to play Racetrack.

"Toothpick's playin' Racetrack!" Mush announced as the rest of the newsies crowded around the two.

"You ready for this, Toothpick?" Racetrack asked as if it was a warning.

"Oh, I'm ready, Race," she said. "Why don't we just make this a little interesting?"

"Like a bet?" Racetrack asked. She nodded as his eyes brightened. Racetrack hardly ever turned down a bet and she was ready.

"Ya sure you wanna do this, Toothpick, Racetrack's the best gambler 'round here," Crutchy warned in her ear. She grinned even bigger as she nodded.

"I'm sure," she assured him.

"All right, how much you bettin'?" Racetrack asked.

"Let's start off low, ten cents," she said.

"All right, Toothpick, you're on," he agreed.

"Ten cents, Race," she said, holding her hand out. He sighed and forked over the dime as she smiled and stuffed it in her pocket.

"You're pretty good, Toothpick, I never would have expected it," Racetrack admitted, slapping her on the back.

That one touch brought upon her something she would never have expected. Racetrack became someone special. She didn't know how else to express it. He was just, well, special. She had never known this feeling which made her feel as if nothing but he mattered. When he spoke they became the most important words she had ever heard. His eyes were beautiful and she could be lost in them if she looked at him too long. She longed to run her hands though his dark brown hair, almost black. His accent intoxicated her and she couldn't help but laugh at any of his jokes. She had never felt any attraction to any boy before, it was just typical that she'd fall in love with one when he didn't even know she was a girl. She loved being a newsie, but now she also loved Racetrack, and she couldn't exactly explain why. It had all been so sudden, she didn't even know if it was love or not. Whatever it was, it wasn't going away as easily as it had come.


	4. Fading

Hey everyone! All I have to say is PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! I REALLY would like to know what you all think. Thanks:)

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**Chapter 4**

"Hey, Mom, I'm goin' out, gonna have supper wid Davey and Les," Jenna announced to her mother after placing a bowl of steaming hot soup in front of her.

"Davey?" her mother questioned. "Who's he?"

"A newsie," she replied smartly.

"I know that, now loose the tone, young lady, who is he?" she asked sternly as Jenna rolled her eyes, sighing heavily.

"That's really all there is to know about him, Mom, he's just one of da newsies," she said. "He's my age, had a little brudder named Les. They sell papes wid Jack. He asked me if I wanted to have supper at his place and I told him I'd meet up wid him at the square, I had to make supper for you foist."

"Well, all right," she said reluctantly.

"I'll be back later," she decided as she swaggered out the door.

As she closed the door behind her she sighed, knowing that she had just brushed her mother aside and that she might not have much longer with her. Her conscience hurt her as she walked to the square where the newsies would always spend their free time. She had been so distant; it seemed as if she didn't want her to know about her life with the newsies. She knew she had hurt her mother's feelings, but sometimes she felt so annoyed with the constant questions. Maybe because she feared she would just be loosing her mother anyway; maybe because she knew her mother wouldn't approve of her "unladylike" actions. Whatever it was it bothered her. She was so confused right now about everything, her feelings for Racetrack, her relationship with her mother. The horrible thing was that she had no one to talk to about it. The newsies were great companions but they thought she was a boy, she couldn't share her "girly" problems with them, plus, she hated to burden others with her problems. She just needed a night off and hopefully supper at Davey's would give her some relaxation.

"Hey, Toothpick," Davey greeted as he, Les, and Jack walked up to her, knocking her from her thoughts.

"Ah, let's get goin', I'm starving and Sarah promised her famous soup tonight," Jack complained.

"Who's Sarah?" Jenna asked as they started down the street.

"Oh, she's my sister," Davey replied.

"She's older," Les informed her. She smiled down at him. She was starting to get a little nervous. She hadn't come in contact with another girl since she'd become a newsie, not one that she'd met personally. This girl was probably who she'd be right now if she wasn't a newsie, but then again she had a family. Jenna had no one; her mother was quickly fading. She probably didn't act boyish either, but she was another girl, and it'd be harder to fool her then the boys.

* * *

"Come in, come in," Davey's mother said as the four walked through the doorway. "Well, who's this?" She turned to Jenna with a bright smile. 

"This here is Toothpick," Jack said, slapping her on the back. Just then Sarah rose from the chair she was seated in and approached Jenna. She smiled slightly as Jenna nodded and twirled her toothpick in her mouth.

"That's Sarah," Les chimed in, breaking the silence.

"Nice to meet you, Toothpick," Sarah said with a beaming smile as the family sat down to supper.

* * *

Sarah seemed to sew to help make money for the family and it made Jenna grin with pleasure to think of the fact that it was Sarah and not she who did the sewing. Jenna could never sit still that long. Sarah was king and gentle and though Jenna didn't want to reveal her identity there was a part of her that wished she knew. Then she would have someone she could talk about love with on her own level. She could tell her about her mother and how hard it was. Now, though, there was no one to tell; Jenna had to travel this journey alone. 

"So, how's business?" Davey's father asked.

"Pretty good," Davey replied.

"Toothpick here's a pretty good newsie for only joinin' two weeks ago," Jack bragged.

"Oh, so this is Jim," Davey's mother said, finally putting two and two together.

"Is that your name?" Jack asked, turning to Jenna. Immediately there was a roar of laughter. "Well, ya know, none of us could tell ya the real names of the newsies; we all have nickname, well, most of us."

* * *

"Well, see ya tomorrow, I guess," Jack said to Sarah as he and Jenna climbed through the window onto the fire escape. Jenna could tell there was something between the two and continued down the fire escape so they could be alone. Jack leaned in and brought his lips to Sarah's, cupping his hand behind her head. 

"Yeah, tomorrow," she breathed as they pulled away. She didn't seem ready to let him leave just yet as she pulled him in for one final kiss.

"Goodnight," he whispered as he made his way down the fire escape.

"Goodnight," she replied, disappearing into the house behind the curtains. Jack made his way to where Jenna was waiting and they continued down the street. Thinking of Jack and Sarah made her think of Racetrack and how they could be. She was gradually beginning to understand her emotions and she understood enough to know that she wanted more than friendship with him. The vision of her and Racetrack, lips joined, wouldn't leave her mind. It made her feel so warm inside, and then so cold at the same time.

"So, whatcha think?" Jack asked with a proud smile as he lit a cigarette.

"They're real nice," she said casually with a nod. "What happened ta Davey's dad?" She was referring to the fact that Davey's father's arm was in a sling.

"Oh, he got hurt in a factory somehow and since he was no good to them anymore they fired him," Jack explained. She nodded in understanding and picked at her teeth with her toothpick. "Hey, Race." Jenna whipped around to see Racetrack joining the two in the streets.

"Hey, Jack, Toothpick," Racetrack said casually. Jenna's heart skipped a few beats at the sight of Racetrack and sound of his heavy Brooklyn accent.

"How was your day at the tracks?" Jack asked.

"Ah, all right, I didn't make any bets today," he replied. "Nuttin' looked good enough to waste me money." Jack nodded in understanding as Jenna followed.

"So, Race, you up for another bet tomorrow?" Jenna asked with a grin.

"What are we bettin' on?" he asked.

"Have you ever played poker?" she asked.

"Sure, but a pack of cards ain't somethin' we got around here," he replied.

"Well, I've been savin' me money, I'll buy us a pack, I've been dyin' for a good game a poker," she said.

"Well, you get your hands on some cards and you're on," he challenged.

* * *

Walking into her house, Jenna couldn't think about anything but the family she had just experienced. She thought that Racetrack would be filling her thoughts but he wasn't. She had no family anymore; she had just come to the realization. Her mother was fading fast and her father had been gone for three years. Most of the newsies had no parents, but it pained her to be loosing her family. For the first time in years Jenna broke down in the floor and cried. 


	5. Spot Conlon

Well, basically all I have to say is PLEASE R&R! I can't stress enough how much I LOVE hearing what you all have to say. I can see by my hits that a lot of people are reading this story but just not leaving reviews. Please review, well, if you have time, I understand if you don't. :) Oh, something for all of you, sorry for all the spelling errors, I really try to eliminate all of them. :) Oh, notes.

Maeko-Nohara: Don't worry, with the whole Racetrack thing, things will be going pretty slow. You'll see as you read how slow things really will go, I just wanted to show where Jenna's interest was leading. LOL. :)

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**Chapter 5**

"Full house, Toothpick, pay up," Racetrack said, laying his cards down in front of her. At first she seemed stunned since she'd never been beaten before, be then of course she had had to teach half of the boys at school first. Racetrack already knew hot to play and was evidently good. Then again he owed her, she had beaten him last week and he was said to be unbeatable. She sighed and poured fifteen cents into his outstretched hand and then started to collect the cards.

"So, where'd you loin how ta play?" Racetrack asked Jenna as he struck a match and lit a cigar and she stuck her pack of cards in her pocket.

"Me dad," she replied, pulling out a fresh toothpick to chew on. "What about you?"

"Ah, bein' on the streets ya loin almost anythin'," he replied. "Ain't that right, boys?" The whole group nodded and agreed. "Toothpick, you'll loin, you'll loin." He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a pat on the back as the rest of the boys laughed.

"Well, time to carry da banner," Kid Blink sighed as the rest of the boys rolled their eyes, nodded, and muttered in annoyance.

* * *

"Hey, Mush, look over there," Davey said, pointing down the street as he grabbed Mush's shoulder and pulled him over. Mush stared down the street as Boots and Skittery glanced in the direction of his finger as well. 

"That's Spot, ain't it?" Mush asked as the rest nodded.

"What's he doin' here?" Boots asked.

"I don't know but I'm sure he's gonna want to talk to Jack, Skittery, go get Jack, will ya?" Davey commanded as Skittery nodded and rushed off in search of Jack.

"What's goin' on?" Jenna asked as she approached the three boys staring down the street.

"Spot's comin' into town," Mush replied without taking his eyes off of the rapidly approaching boy.

"Who?" she questioned.

"Spot Conlon," Boots said before Mush could answer. She just looked upon the boy with confusion. When she said nothing else the boys all turned to look at her. "Don't tell me ya never hoid of Spot Conlon before." She shook her head.

"He's the leader of the Brooklyn newsies," Davey supplied.

"So, what's so special 'bout him?" she asked.

"You'll find out," Boots said as Mush began to laugh.

Spot was small in stature but did seem a bit intimidating. He had light brown hair and eyes and a strut that made Jenna realize there was something different about him. He carried a slingshot and so did the rest of the Brooklyn newsies. Jenna had always wanted to learn to use a slingshot but never had. All of the boys at school who knew had refused to teach her. The thing that set Spot apart though was his cane. Spot carried a black cane with a gold tip that signified his position as one of the most feared and respected newsies in all of New York. He had a band of about five Brooklyn newsies with him as he made his way up to the boys.

"Hey, Davey," he greeted as he and Davey spit in their hands and then shook.

"Hey, Spot," he returned. "What brings you here?"

"I got some business wid Jacky-boy," he replied.

"Well, Skittery went to find him," Davey replied. Spot's heavy Brooklyn accent made Jenna smirk as she thought of Racetrack. Just as he entered her mind he appeared behind her.

"Hey, Race," Spot said, nodding toward the boy.

"Hey, Spot," Racetrack said casually without any question. Just then Skittery appeared with Jack and after the whole greeting procedure Spot got down to business.

"So, Jacky-boy, I been hearin' things 'bout you," he said, beginning to pace.

"Yeah, like what, Spot?" Jack asked.

"Like the fact that you know where my sister is," he replied. All of the newsies just stared at him in silence, including Jack. They were all in shock and all Jenna could gather was that no one knew that Spot Conlon had a sister.


	6. Discovery

Hey everyone! All I have to say is R&R! LOL. :) Oh, notes!

elleestJenn: Yeah, sorry about that spelling error. LOL. :) The thing on Jenna's name. I use her name when I talk about her instead of using the nickname "Toothpick" all the other newsies call her to show how she's different from them, not only in the physical aspect, but also in her emotions, how she _feels_ different from them. She feels as if she doesn't have anyone to relate to and that she is different in many ways, and in that way I use her name to specify that she is in fact a girl, before they find out, and when they find out I still use it to show her separation from them. She still doesn't _really_ feel like one of the group. See? I hope that makes sense. :)

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Sista?" Jack asked once he finally found his voice.

"Yeah, I got a sista, we got separated a long time ago after me parents died. We was put in an orphanage but I ran away, she was only three then. I hoid that you knew where she was," Spot explained, staring at Jack harshly, demanding an answer.

"What's her name?" Jack asked.

"Connie," Spot replied.

"I don't know nobody named Connie," he said.

"Well, I hoid you knew where she was," Spot repeated.

"I don't know nuttin', Spot," Jack assured him. The two stared at each other for a long time, Spot to try and see if Jack was lying, and Jack to assure Spot that he wasn't. "Sorry I can't help ya, Spot." Jack sighed and shrugged as Spot nodded slowly, knowing that for once there was nothing more he could do. Spot was used to usually getting what he wanted right when he wanted it, but there was nothing he could do if Jack had no information to give him.

"Hey, Cowboy, what's this, a street rat meeting?" came the teasing voice of a boy behind Jack. Jack rolled his eyes and turned to see the Delancy brothers standing behind him. Oscar and Morris Delancy were the nephews of Mr. Wisel, the grouchy man who handed out the papers to the newsies. All the newsies called him "Weasel," which was exactly what he was, though not in shape. Weasel was a large man with graying hair and a horrible smirk. His two nephews were constantly picking on the newsies.

"I wouldn't be callin' people street rats, Oscar, where do you sleep at night again?" Jack retorted smartly as the rest of the newsies laughed hysterically. Everyone knew that the Delancys had barely as much as they did now.

"You askin' for a fight, Cowboy?" Oscar asked.

"You axed for one the minute you came ova here, I'm just finishin' it," Jack replied.

"What's a matter, Cowboy, to chicken ta do this?" Oscar cried, punching Jack square in the jaw.

"Ya shouldn't a done that, Oscar," Jack said, rearing back and punching the boy in the stomach. Morris stepped in now to punch Jack back as Oscar recovered but Crutchy hit him over the head with his crutch, knocking him to the ground.

That was all it took for a full fledge fight to break out. The boys were throwing punches left and right at the Delancys until a few scabs came in to make the fight even larger. Scabs were the newsies' term for other newsies who worked for Weasel and sided with the Delancys. The scabs were usually stuck up and wore nicer clothing than the average newsie. Spot and the Brooklyn newsies were now in on the fight too, shooting at the scabs with their slingshots. For Jenna this was what she'd been waiting for, a chance to prove that she could look out for herself, more to herself than to the other newsies. The newsies celebrated another victory as the scabs and Delancys finally retreated.

"We'll get you later, Cowboy!" Morris cried as they disappeared into the distributing office where Weasel handed out the papers.

"Yeah, dat'll be da day," he said, rolling his eyes. The rest of the newsies were busy cheering and as Jenna came into his vision Jack slapped her on the back. "You ain't bad, Toothpick." He gave her a smile and just as she began to smile back Boots ran into her in all the commotion of their victory, and before she knew what was happening her hat had tumbled off of her head. Time seemed to stop as all of the newsies turned to see her bright red hair falling down her back.


	7. Acceptance

Hey everyone! This is pretty short chappie, sorry, I didn't really want this one longer. The next one will be longer. LOL. Anyway, R&R!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Jenna's long red hair flowed down around her shoulders to about her elbows. The glorious sunshine made it glisten and brought out her tender features. The boys had never noticed her shining blue eyes and definite cheekbones. Her face no longer seemed tough but soft and flawless. Her hair framed her torso, cupping around her profile and curling slightly at the ends. The boys were in awe and shock; the thought of her being a girl had never entered their minds, she fought the Delancys and talked tough just like the rest of them. She was beautiful; there was no doubt about that. Most of the newsies gasped, all except three who could only stare. Racetrack just stared up at her, his eyes fogged over as if in a daze. All he could do was look up and down her body continuously. She was so beautiful but at the same time she was tough, someone who could stand on her own. Mush also seemed to be in a trance. She was gorgeous, a pure vision. The last newsie to just stare was none other than Spot Conlon. The boy was intoxicated by her dazzling red hair and energetic blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Les asked, finally breaking the silence. Jenna was too stunned to answer but only turned slowly to look at Jack, fear evident in every muscle of her body.

"It's a good question, Toothpick, who are you?" Jack repeated smugly.

"M-my name is Jenna," she replied.

"Jenna?" Jack asked.

"Jenna Thomas," she confirmed with a nod.

"Whatcha doin' here, Jenna?" he demanded, not with a harsh tone but with a tone that almost made Jenna think of fear.

"I'm tryin' to earn money for me mudda, she's dyin', plus, after she dies I'll have ta do somethin' for money, why not be a newsie?" she asked.

"Why dress up like a guy?" Davey asked.

"I ain't gonna have no boys thinkin' I can't watch out for myself just because I'm a goil. I assume I made my point," she said, turning to look at the rest of the newsies as they all nodded. "So, can I stay?" She turned back around to stare into Jack's eyes. A grin started to form on his lips as he looked at the rest of the newsies.

"What do ya think, boys?" he asked.

"I think she earned a place as a newsie whether she's a boy or not!" Snipeshooter cried as the rest of the newsies echoed agreements.

"All right, Toothpick, congratulations on bein' the foist goil newsie," Jack announced as the rest of the newsies cheered. Her face turned as red as her hair as she smiled with pride upon her new domain. Now there was nothing holding her back; the boys accepted her and she didn't have to hide anything anymore. She could maintain her boyish attitude, chew on toothpicks, gamble, and still have people know the truth. She bent over, scooped up her hat, and placed it on her head, but this time she left the hair out.


	8. Spot's Intention

Well everyone, R&R! Thanks! I hope you're enjoying the fic so far:)

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Les became Jenna's selling partner, not that she couldn't do it on her own, but the boy was always with her anyway. Davey and Jack would go off on their own and where Les would usually go with them he didn't anymore. There was something intriguing to him about Jenna. She was so gentle and kind like Sarah but also proud and tough like Jack, two of his favorite people all rolled into one. She had her own personality too though and did things her own way. She had this habit of pulling off his hat, ruffling his hair, and then replacing the hat roughly on his head. She would stare at him for a few seconds and then scoop him up in her arms, squeezing him hard around his middle. Of course this always happened when the rest of the newsies weren't around. Jenna treated Les as if he were a younger brother and he almost became one except for the fact that he didn't live with her, which she was glad about. She didn't ever want Les to have to go through what she was, the death that filled her life. Les had a wonderful family and she never wanted him to lose that.

* * *

"Sir, Sir, please, will ya buy a pape?" Jenna begged, slowly coming up to a man who was passing by. She had dirtied herself up with splotches of soot and mud that covered her entire body. 

"Maybe some other day," the man replied with an irritated tone as he attempted to shuffle past her.

"B-but, Sir, my brothers, my brothers, they're both in need of medical attention," she said, pulling on the man's arm and pointing her finger in the direction of Les and Crutchy standing by the curb of the street. "I'm tryin' to raise money for Crutchy to have an operation and a doctor for Les, he ain't feelin' too good, his head's real hot." The man looked upon the two ragged boys and his eyes grew very soft and kind as he looked from the boys to Jenna. Digging into his pocket he gently traded her a coin for a paper.

"Here," he said softly.

"Thank ya, Sir," she said, bowing slightly as the man nodded and continued on. "Lookie here, boys!" She rushed back to Crutchy and Les with a fifty cent piece in her hands.

"He gave ya fifty cents?" Les cried, amazed.

"Sure did," she nodded as Les grabbed the coin from her hand and fingered it delicately, catching it in the sun's rays as glorious sunshine flecked and sparkled off of the coin.

"You really convinced him I was a crip?" Crutchy asked.

"Yep," she replied proudly, gathering her hair together and stuffing it all up inside her hat.

"We got a real good scam goin' here, Toothpick," he complimented as she blushed slightly, busily tucking stray hair under her hat.

"Why do you pull your hair up whenever we go back?" Les asked her curiously.

"Well, I don't know, I guess it's because I feel singled out, I mean, I love feeling like I have nuttin' to hide anymore, but at the same time I feel like they're all lookin' at me," she said, feeling as though she wasn't doing a very good job of expressing her emotions. Les still looked extremely confused but Crutchy seemed to understand as he nodded. Jenna looked down upon Les with a smile and took the boy in her arms, placing him upon her shoulders as they walked down the street. "Don't worry about it."

* * *

Crutchy had become Jenna's most trusted friend. Whereas Les seemed to be Jenna's younger brother, Crutchy seemed like her older brother, though he was younger in reality. He was so easy to talk to and ever since they had begun to sell together she had felt like she didn't have to hide her hair around him. There was something about Crutchy that made Jenna feel safe. She was gradually getting to the point where she told him almost everything, everything except her love for Racetrack and her situation with her mother. She would mention little things here or there but not enough for Crutchy to know exactly what it was like, just enough to make him worry, and he did, just as an older brother would. 

"Oh, there's Racetrack," she breathed as they neared the square. Crutchy just stared at her curiously and as she turned to look at him she realized the tone which she had used.

"What's wrong wid you?" he asked as she blushed.

"Uh, nuttin'," she murmured as she pulled Les down from her shoulders and he rushed off to meet Davey and Jack and show them the day's earnings.

"You're givin' me that look ya get when you're hidin' somethin', ya sure ya don't wanna talk about it?" Crutchy asked gently. She didn't feel like telling him about Racetrack just yet, she felt like it was silly and stupid and he wouldn't understand. "I know ya ain't tellin' me somethin', the problem is gettin' you to talk to me." She smiled and nodded but didn't say a word.

* * *

"Heya, Spot, I thought you went back to Brooklyn," Racetrack said as Spot approached the square. 

"Nah, I'm still around, still lookin' for me sista, I have a feelin' she 'round here somewhere," he replied.

"Where ya stayin'?" Racetrack asked.

"Just around, tonight I think I'm gonna stay at Kloppman's wid you," Spot replied. "What's the big deal?" Racetrack was looking at him curiously.

"Ya just ain't never hung around here long, that's all," Racetrack shrugged.

"Well, I got my reasons," Spot said mysteriously as he glanced at Jenna who was busy talking to Jack and Davey. Racetrack turned to look quickly and fear grew in his eyes as he put two and two together. His hopes for having Jenna plummeted as he realized that Spot Conlon, the leader of Brooklyn, had his eyes on Jenna as well, and what Spot wanted, Spot usually got.


	9. The Stable

Hey everyone! This is a longer chappie for you. I hope you enjoy it. My story has 3 OCs. You have already met Jenna and now you will meet the next one in this chappie. Be on the look-out for the third. You've already had the hint at her character, it's meeting her that you'll want to look forward to. LOL. :) Notes.

Sarah Jade: First off, I LOVE the name Jade, I'm planning on naming one of my children that. LOL. Now that I've officially freaked you out I'll continue on with what I wanted to say. Yes, Jenna is a Racetrack lover, probably because I am. LOL. I just ADORE Racetrack. I hope you enjoy the story anyway, it seemed to me from your review that you ARE enjoying the story, I hope it stay that way. :)

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"Where ya goin', Racetrack?" Oscar said as Racetrack made his way to the distribution office the next morning.

"Ta get me papes, now move outta my way," he said fiercely, punching Oscar square in the face. The rest of the newsies just looked at each other questioningly, wondering what could have put Racetrack in such a bad mood.

"Race is in a bad mood this mornin'," Kid Blink whispered to Boots as he nodded in agreement.

"Who says I'm in a bad mood?" Racetrack asked as he suddenly appeared behind the two.

"Nobody's sayin' you're in a bad mood, Race," Kid Blink replied nervously.

"Ya just did, now what tells ya I'm in a bad mood?" he asked.

"Well, for one thing you've smoked a whole pack of cigarettes just this mornin', our supply's getting' low as it is," Boots chimed in.

"Well, maybe I like smokin'," he argued.

"Ya smoke more than the rest of us but never that much, we can't afford to smoke that much," Boots said.

"You only smoke a pack when you're upset," Mush said as he turned around to join the conversation, having overheard the majority of it.

"I ain't upset!" Racetrack shouted, pushing through the newsies to get his papers, not bothering to wait his turn in line. "Fifty papes!" He slammed a quarter down on the desk as Weasel rolled his eyes and handed him the papers. Racetrack marched off down the street as the rest of the newsies just stared in amazement.

Racetrack was normally one to just laugh of situations with a sarcastic joke or at least not blow up in everyone's faces. If Racetrack ever had a problem you hardly ever noticed, the only sign was how much he smoked. He loved cigars and cigarettes but could never afford many, so smoking a pack of cigarettes a day was too much, he usually only smoked three or four a day. This time he hadn't just smoked a pack in one day, he had smoked one just that morning. There was something obviously wrong, the problem was what.

"S-sorry," Jenna apologized as Racetrack brushed passed her, striking a match to light the last cigarette in his pack. She had basically been knocked out of the way and as he hurried off she looked wistfully after him but it was very disconcerting to her his attitude. He just didn't seem like himself. Usually he would have slapped her on the back and cracked some joke.

_Nice, Race, nice_. He scolded himself as he made his way down to the tracks.

* * *

_How could I have been so stupid, just brushed right past her without sayin' a woid. Why in the world do I feel this way, why does Spot? I know the real reason he's stayin', otherwise he would have pulled out and gone back to Brooklyn. Gaw lee, she's so beautiful, I was a fool to think that no one else would be interested, 'specially Spot. I wonder if anyone else likes her. What am I gonna do?_

Racetrack raked his hands through his hair as he pulled off his hat. This was his favorite place to go when he wanted to be alone, no one would disturb him here in the stable, only the man who took care of the horses came in and out, occasionally one of the horses' owners would swing by. Usually it was just Racetrack and the horses, his small paradise. All of the horses knew him because he stopped by at least once a week to talk to Tommy, their caretaker. Tommy had dirty blonde hair and clear blue eyes that seemed as if they were looking through you whenever he stared you down, that's what Racetrack liked about him. Tommy was always there when he needed him, he was always understanding, and he had this look that made Racetrack just want to tell him everything that was going on. The two would talk and enjoy a smoke in the barn and then Tommy would leave him along with the horses. Racetrack was seated on the bale of hay, bent over, elbows on his knees, head in his hands, when Tommy strolled through the door clad in his usual dirtied white shirt and overalls.

"Heya, Race, how ya-" he started, stopping when he saw the poor boy cent over on the hay bale, head in his hands. Racetrack looked up slowly to reveal his distressed face to the stable boy. His papers lay in a heap in the dirt beside him. "Ya wanna help me feed the horses?"

* * *

Feeding the horses always made Racetrack feel better, especially when Tommy would speak him a sugar cube to slip to his favorite horse Smokey. Smokey had a silvery tint to his coat and a long, flowing mane that Racetrack would spend hours brushing. He felt like a little girl, gushing out his problems to Tommy, getting excited over every little twitch the horses made. He didn't know exactly why Smokey was his favorite, but he had an idea. He saw a good deal of himself in him, like one minute you would have your eye right on him in the races, and the next he was gone, like not even your eyes were fast enough to catch him. Racetrack always disappeared from the rest of the newsies during the day to be either here or catching a small glimpse of the race. Selling papers was just a side note, though he was awfully good at it. 

"Hey, ya got a light?" Racetrack asked Tommy as he poured some oats into Lightning's trough.

"You ain't gonna tell me, are ya?" Tommy asked with a sigh.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Racetrack asked.

"Oh, come on, Race, you know 'sactly what I'm talkin' 'bout, ya can't feel me," he replied. Racetrack didn't answer, just moved on to the next horse's trough. "I ain't gonna give you a light 'til ya tell me."

"Well, there's dis goil," he sighed, finally giving into his extreme desire to smoke. Tommy looked stunned; this was new. Of all of the things he could have said, Tommy had never expected him to say _"Well, there's dis goil"_ before. "Now can I have a light?" Tommy looked at him questioningly as he slowly pulled a box of matches out of his front overall pocket. "I'll tell ya everything if I can smoke, it relaxes me, oh, by da way, ya got a cigarettes too?" He looked ashamed as Tommy reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, handing one to Racetrack.

"Gaw lee, how many you smoked today, Race?" he asked as the boy struck a match against one of the horses' stalls and lit the cigarette. He inhaled deeply and sighed with pleasure as he exhaled smoke. It actually became pathetic when his only happiness was found in one measly cigarette. Usually he just smoked out of habit but when he found comfort in a cigarette he felt really low.

"'Bout a pack," Racetrack replied, shrugging as if it was no big deal even though it was.

"A pack?" Tommy repeated, shocked. "A whole pack? Race, you must really be lettin' this goil get to ya, you know ya can't afford ta smoke a pack a day."

"I know, I know," Racetrack agreed with a frustrating tone and a nod. "It ain't her though, it's Spot." He went back over to the hay bale Tommy had found him on.

"Spot, he's da leader of Brooklyn, right?" Tommy asked, trying to refresh his memory.

"Right, well-" he started.

"Wait, tell me 'bout the goil foist," Tommy interrupted. Racetrack smiled and his eyes suddenly attained a fogged over look. Tommy smiled as he watched Racetrack's features almost immediately change. It was at times like these when Tommy felt like an older brother since he was much older than Racetrack since he was only sixteen and Tommy was twenty-seven.

"Well, she's got this gorgeous red hair and, ah, her eyes are the most marvelous shade of blue and she's got dis smile, gosh, I don't know how to describe it, I can't even describe her very well, ya just, ya just gotta see her to know what I'm talkin' 'bout," Racetrack said dreamily, turning to Tommy. All Tommy could do was smile and sigh.

_A love-struck Racetrack, dat's just what I need,_ he thought with a chuckle.


	10. The Deal

Well, everyone, here's chappie 10. :)

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Whatcha got there?" Crutchy asked Jenna as she rushed up to him from the other side of the street. The rest of the newsies crowded around her to see what she had in her hands. It was a book with a picture of a beautiful castle on the front, the sky behind it sprinkled with clouds. They leaned over the book, over her shoulders, anywhere to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous picture, well, at least that's what she thought. In actuality they were looking at the words written on the cover.

"What do them woids mean?" Snipeshooter asked, pointing at the words sparkling in gold, the sun reflecting off of them whenever she turned the book. Jenna smiled gently.

"It says '_Classic Fairytales_'," she read sweetly.

"What'd ya get dat for?" Boots asked.

"You can read?" Kid Blink questioned.

"Yes, I can read, and I bought it because it has all of my favorite fairytales in it," she said, looking from Kid Blink to Boots and then to the rest of the newsies. All Mush could do was stare at her. She amazed him even more everyday and he didn't even know how it was possible since she already seemed like the most amazing person he had ever met. Now he knew that she could read which was something he had wanted to learn. Maybe he could use that to get closer to her.

* * *

Over the next few days Jenna would meet Les and Snipeshooter in the square and read them a fairytale, or as much as she could before dinnertime, then she would leave them hanging until the next afternoon. More of the newsies gathered everyday; she felt like Wendy in _Peter Pan_, and the newsies were the Lost Boys who had asked her to be their mother. 

"'And they lived happily ever after, the end'," Jenna read, raising her eyes over the horn of the book to see a crowd of newsies all staring at her intently. She lowered the book slowly onto her lap, closing it just as slowly.

"It's over?" Les questioned as she turned to look at the boy who was seated on her right side.

"Yes, Les, they lived happily ever after," she quoted.

"But what about the evil stepmother and stepsisters, what happened ta dem?" Snipeshooter questioned from her left.

"Well, Snipe, what do you think happened to them?" she asked with a grin.

"I think da king exiled dem to da desert where they died of starvation," he replied.

"Ah, come on, Snipe, that ain't bad enough!" Skittery yelled, and then the newsies all started shouting out all the ways the stepmother and stepsisters should have been tortured or killed. This always happened after every story, the boys would feel like more needed to be said, and it was true. The thing about fairytales was that they always left you room to use your own imagination, the story never just ended without anything more to be said.

"All right, I gotta go," Jenna said as she left the newsies to discuss how the king was going to fit the stepsisters in a pot of boiling water.

"Toothpick, wait!" a voice cried as she turned to see Mush running after her.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Well, I been noticin' how good ya read and I was wonderin' if, well, you'd teach me how," Mush said sheepishly, lowering his eyes.

"'Course I will, it's gonna take some time, dough," she replied.

"That's fine," she said, his head popping up to meet her eyes. "Just so long as I knows how ta read."

"All right, Mush, meet me every night at seven here at dis bench," she said, pointing to the bench right beside them. He nodded. "We'll start tomorrow."


	11. Slingshot Lessons

Hey everyone! Keep up the reading, don't worry, it's about to pick up. :) LOL. :) Oh, notes.

elleestJenn: You have such a problem of wanting to know everything at one time. LOL. Don'y worry, I have it too. All will be revealed in time, young one. LOL. Just keep reading, I promise that we'll be getting back to her mother very soon, I'm just trying to add in the romance factor right now. About Spot's sister, you will see all of this is due time. LOL. :) That's all I have to say to that.

Maeko-Nohara: Actually not as many newsies could read as you would think. Many wonder on this, and though some could, others couldn't. Most of the younger newsies couldn't read, and I guess I'm trying to imply that it was mostly the younger newsies who were fascinated with not really the fact that Jenna could read, but the fact that she could read so well. Many could only read well enough to get by selling papes and making up headlines. All of the newsies, however, would gather to hear her read because they didn't get that very much, actually, they never had before unless their mothers had or did, some, I believe, still have parents. Mush is one exception to the older newsies, he can barely read at all.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Davey, what do ya think is gonna happen to Belle?" Les asked Davey one night at the dinner table. His parents and Sarah both stared at the two. Jack wasn't there that night so it was just the five of them.

"I don't know, we'll just have to find out tomorrow," Davey replied.

"What are you talking about, David?" his mother asked.

"Oh, just the story Toothpick's been reading to us from this book of fairytales she has," he replied. The room suddenly grew dead silent.

"She?" Sarah finally managed.

"Yeah, she, oh, yeah, you don't know about that," Davey said, suddenly realizing that neither he nor Les had mentioned a word about Jenna since she had come over that one time. "Well, uh, Toothpick's a girl, she was disguised as a boy to prove to us that she can stand on her won. She's trying to earn money for her dying mother, although she's pretty much convinced her mother is gonna die anyway. Her real name is Jenna."

"Wow," Sarah said, her voice dripping with admiration.

"Oh, the poor girl," he mother said, putting her hand to her heart.

* * *

"So, ya told your parents?" Jenna asked Les the next day as they made their way down the street with Crutchy, papers over their shoulders. 

"Yeah, on accident," he admitted sheepishly and apologetically. She smiled softly.

"It's okay," she assured him, putting her hat off to reveal her glorious hair glistening in the sunshine. She stuffed her hat in her back pocket as her thoughts began to soar. This was what she'd been waiting for, the chance to reveal her identity to Sarah. Now she might have someone to talk to about all the things she had on her mind, someone who'd understand.

"Hey, look over there," Crutchy said, knocking her from her thoughts as she turned to see where he was pointing. Across the street, in the alley, stood Spot shooting rocks through his slingshot at glass bottles.

"He's amazing," Jenna said in awe as she watched him gracefully pull back on the sling and send a rock flying through the air, perfectly hitting a glass bottle as it shattered into a million pieces.

"Yeah, he must be practicin'," Crutchy agreed.

"I wish I could do that," she said.

"I'm sure he's teach ya, why don'tcha axe him?" Crutchy suggested as Les nodded.

"Then you can teach me," Les added. She smirked.

"Well, maybe I will," she said, shoving her papers into Crutchy's arms and marching across the street. Crutchy shrugged and continued down the street with Les.

"Where's your sister today?" a man asked, walking up to the boys and trading them a coin for a paper.

"She ain't feelin' too good today," Crutchy lied as the man's face turned to worry.

"Is she all right?" he asked concernedly.

"I dunno," he shrugged.

"Well, you tell her I missed her," the man said as he continued on. Jenna had made so many friends selling papers that they had all become regulars, buying papers from them everyday.

* * *

"Heya, Spot," Jenna greeted as she walked up behind the boy. He whipped around to see Jenna's figure, the sun shining behind her. Normally he would have scolded anyone who dared to interrupt him, but this time his face grew from immediate annoyance to sudden joy. It was Jenna, the girl who had the most gorgeous smile in the world and made his heart race. 

"H-hey, Toothpick," he stuttered.

"I saw ya shootin' ova here and I just came ova to watch," she explained.

"Oh, well, that was nuttin', give me a real target and I'll show ya what I can really do wid dis thing," Spot said as she nodded and went to set up a glass bottle about twenty feet away. Spot loaded his slingshot with a jagged rock and pulled back on the sling. The whole motion looked as if it required hardly any effort at all. The shot was dead on, the rock hitting the bottle in the very center, glass falling from the ledge on which it was sitting.

"Wow," Jenna breathed as she watched the pieces of glass sparkle in the sunlight. "You're incredible, Spot; I don't even know how ta use a slingshot."

"Well, I got me own secret, but I guess I could teach ya," he offered.

"Ya would?" she asked, her eyes filled to the brim with hope.

"Sure," he shrugged.

"Well, let's get started!" she cried excitedly, her face beaming with anticipation.


	12. One Request

Here's the next chappie:) Notes.

Maeko-Nohara: I know, I agree a bit on Spot, but at the same time I wanted to show where a possible weakness might be. It's a hint at things to come. :)

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"Mama, this is Jenna Thomas," Davey said as he walked through the door of his apartment with Jack, Les, and Jenna. It sounded strange to Jenna to hear her name coming from anyone but her mother. The newsies simply called her 'Toothpick.'

"Jenna, not Jim, right?" she asked as Jenna nodded slowly, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Yes, Ma'am," she murmured.

"I think it's wonderful what you're doing for your mother," she said, startling Jenna. It wasn't the fact that she had spoken, it was her words. Jenna had honestly expected them to be hostile to her for lying, but the whole family had the opposite reaction. They seemed to welcome her with open arms so readily that she was overwhelmed, her face turning a bright red.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Toothpick," Sarah chuckled as she held out her hand. Jenna had to think twice before shaking it, careful not to spit in her pal first. "So, what's it like?"

"We'll talk during dinner, right now we're all sitting down to eat," her mother said.

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Jacobs, I'm starvin'," Jenna sighed as she pulled off her hat and they approached the table. There was something mystifying about Jenna's hair. Everywhere there was light to shine on it, it gave off a shimmery, glossy appearance. For a moment even Les stared, even though he saw it everyday.

"Oh, Jenna," Sarah breathed as she gazed upon the long locks of glorifying red hair shining under the dim light hanging over the kitchen table.

"What?" she asked, sitting down at the table as everyone else slowly took their seats.

"Your hair is so beautiful," Sarah said.

"Oh, thank you," she said, blushing again. "Me dad always liked it too."

"Your dad?" Sarah repeated.

"Yeah, he always told me that it was too pretty ta cut, so I promised him I never would," she explained.

"That's why ya didn't cut ya hair to become a newsie, right?" Jack asked as she nodded.

* * *

Later that night Jenna offered to help Sarah with the dishes and through it was to be helpful she also had her own selfish reasons. This was her chance to connect with Sarah, even if it was over soapy water and dirty dishes. Sarah handed her a wet, limp rag and took one for herself, turning the hot water on and taking a plate caked with mashed potatoes and steak sauce in her hands. She poured some soap on it and began to scrub lightly as Jenna followed. 

"So, what's it like?" Sarah asked. Jenna turned to her with a confused look. "Being a newsie, I mean." She smiled, realizing she hadn't clarified her question very much.

"Ah, it ain't nuttin' special, just a bunch a boys day in and day out," Jenna replied, shrugging.

"It must be hard, not just being a newsie, but your whole life, Davey told me what he knew about your mother. What exactly is wrong with her?" Sarah asked, immediately feeling as is she'd pried too far. Surprisingly though, Jenna didn't seem to exhibit that feeling.

"She has cancer," Jenna replied plainly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, how long?" Sarah asked softly.

"She's had it for over two years, about two years and four months. She got it about two months after me fadda died," she explained.

"How did he die?" Sarah asked delicately.

This, however, did hit a nerve. Jenna's brow seemed to furrow as she thought about how to answer this question. Her father had died so rapidly that it scared her. Maybe that was one reason she was afraid of her feelings for Racetrack. Life was so uncertain and emotions cost too much to just give them away. Jenna would rather talk about her mother's condition than her father's death any day. For ever person it's different, the desire to know when death is near. For Jenna there was no option, she would rather knew hands down.

"Look," Jenna said, pointing to the plate in her hands. All of the green beans still remained as well as most of the steak. "Les." She began to chuckle as Sarah joined in.

"I'm sorry," Sarah apologized after they had had a good laugh. "I shouldn't have asked that, it wasn't my place."

"It's all right, it's just that me fadda's death, well, yeah-" Jenna broke off as Sarah nodded.

"It's all right, I understand," she replied with a sweet smile.

"Oh, gosh, what time is it?" Jenna asked suddenly, looking frantic. Sarah glanced at the clock on the mantel over the fireplace.

"Almost eight," she replied.

"Gaw lee, I gotta go," Jenna cried, quickly handing the dirty rag in her hands back to Sarah, who just stood there looking horrible confused. "Thank ya so much, Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs, supper was wonderful!" And with that she rushed out the door.

"Why was she in such a hurry?" Davey asked as Sarah shrugged.

"I don't know," Mrs. Jacobs said, slowly rising from her position on the floor to the door. She reached for her shawl and headed out the door.

* * *

"Jenna, Jenna dear!" Mrs. Jacobs called after the figure of the rapidly disappearing teen. Jenna slowed her run to a jog and finally stopped. 

"Yes, Ma'am?" she asked.

"Is there anything wrong?" she asked.

"No, not at all, oh, wait, me mom, she ain't gonna be too happy that I'm still out, can ya, no-" Jenna broke off reluctantly.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I was getting' ahead of myself, it's too much ta axe of ya," Jenna said.

"Jenna, if there is anyway I can help you please let me know," Mrs. Jacobs said.

"Well, I'm teachin' Mush to read an' usually we meet at seven but tonight I told him eight because I was havin' supper wid you. I'm already late. Can ya please let me mudda know I'll be home soon?" Jenna asked softly.


	13. MUSH

Hey everyone! I know it's been A WHILE since I've updated. Sorry, busy. Anyway, here's teh next chappie, finally. LOL. :) Oh, notes!

newsieschic: Yes I have been lingering on her hair. I'm trying to express how that's basically her prettiest feature and now it's in the open that the reason she didn't cut her hair is because her father it so much. That's why the hair is so important. You can also see that her father's death is very important, so important that she avoids it like the plague. LOL. You'll see why later. Anyway, I don't think I'll be mentioning the hair quite as much now that I've gotten it out in the open that it was her father's favorite thing about her looks.

elleestJenn: I want Race to be happy too! LOL. You'll see, just keep reading. I hope you enjoy the chappie because it's sort of like an update on her mother. Anyway, it doesn't really go into her current condition but it'd kind of transitioning back from the romantice situation to her life with her mother and they'll be a lot more of her mother from now on.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Mrs. Jacobs just stared at Jenna for a moment. She was being given the chance to meet her mother and she wanted to take it. After Jenna sheepishly gave her the directions to her apartment she set out. Now she had the idea of just exactly how the newsies lived. As she passed through the streets she saw many children sleeping in the alleys and as she got closer to Jenna's house the streets became dirtier.

_This is where she lives?_ She thought as she hurried down the road. She climbed the rotten steps delicately and gently knocked on apartment door 280.

"Come in," came a voice from inside as she slowly pried the door open. "Why'd you knock, Jenna, you never-" She stopped in her words to see a strange woman entering her home. "Who are you?" She squirmed in her rocking chair.

"Mrs. Thomas, my name is Esther Jacobs and your daughter sells papers with my sons David and Les. She had dinner with us tonight as I'm sure she told you and she asked me to come tell you that she'll be a little later than usual," Mrs. Jacobs explained.

"Oh," was all Mrs. Thomas said in reply.

"Well, I'll be off then," Mrs. Jacobs said, starting for the door.

"Oh no, please don't, it gets extremely lonely here by myself day after day, you're the first company we've had, would you, would you please sit with me until Jenna comes back?" she asked. Mrs. Jacobs smiled kindly upon the pale creature before her and nodded, pulling up a chair beside her from the kitchen table. "Jenna hardly ever tells me anything about the newsies; I'd like to hear more about them."

"Well, I don't know much either. David's friend, Jack Kelly, I guess you could say he's the leader, usually comes over for dinner because he and my daughter are sweet on each other," Mrs. Jacobs explained.

"How many children do you have?" Mrs. Thomas asked.

"Three: Sarah, David, and Les," she replied with a smile.

* * *

"M-U-S-H, 'Mush,'" Jenna said, writing down each letter slowly so as not to confuse Mush. 

"That's me name?" he asked, pointing.

"Yep, sure is," she nodded.

"Wow," he breathed. She smiled.

"Right, now you try," she commanded, handing him the pencil in her hand. He shakily took the writing utensil and drew the "M." "All right, good, now the 'U,' right, you got it."

"I did it!" he cried, looking proudly upon his lopsided letters.

"Yes," she replied.

"They don't look as good as yours though," he said.

"Well, they will, wid time, ya gotta be patient, it takes practice," she said encouragingly as he sighed with frustration.

* * *

"Mom, I'm home!" Jenna shouted as she burst through the door of her apartment to find Mrs. Jacobs seated in a chair beside her mother. "M-Mrs. Jacobs, what are you still doin' here?" 

"Just keeping your mother company, dear," she said, rising from the chair. "Goodbye Harriet."

"Good-bye Esther and thank you. Do come again, won't you?" Mrs. Thomas asked.

"I will, in fact, how 'bout I come tomorrow and bring some yarn so we can knit?" she asked.

"Oh, that would be wonderful," she agreed.

"See you tomorrow then," Mrs. Jacobs said as she left. Jenna had watched the whole scene in awe and very slowly began to approach her mother.

"I take it everythin' went well," she said.

"Everything's fine, dear, especially now," she replied. "You know, Esther is a wonderful woman, I'm so fortunate to have met her."

"Yeah," Jenna muttered.

_I'm just surprised she stayed here in a dump like this. _She thought.


	14. Found

Hey everyone! Sorry, I've just been so busy, I'm back on the writing schedule now though and I should be posting sort of regularly from now on until the end of the story. Thanks for all the great reviews and keep reading and reviewing:) Oh, one note!

newsieschic: I wanted Mush to seem a little more illiterate than he probably really was in Newsies, though you never know, he could be that illiterate. Not much is known about Mush that's why I knew I could make him illiterate because not as much is known about him as Jack, Davey, or even Crutchy and Racetrack. There is a purpose to this though, keep reading, it's coming up soon. After this chapter it's going to pick up a lot and things will start happening very fast.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"Come on, Mom, you need some fresh air anyway," Jenna begged on her hands and knees before her mother in her rocking chair.

"Oh, Jenna, like the air in our neighborhood could even be considered air," her mother retorted.

"Mom, you just need to get out of this house," she cried. "Plus, the air over in Davey's area is much better." Her mother gave her a skeptical look. "Please, Mom, Mrs. Jacobs is counting on you coming, I know you'd love it, you haven't been out of the house in months."

"It's because I'm weak, Jenna," she argued.

"I know, Mom, and that's why you need to do this before you get too weak to go anywhere," Jenna said.

"Oh, all right," she sighed finally as Jenna rose to help her mother out of the rocking chair. She was shaky and feeble, more so than Jenna had realized. She was now fully aware of how close her mother really was to death. She couldn't concentrate on that though. Mrs. Jacobs had been coming to the house everyday since they had met and the two women would knit and sew and all the kind of things Jenna found deathly boring. Now she had asked her to join them for supper and Jenna had finally convinced her.

* * *

"Welcome, welcome!" Mrs. Jacobs cried happily, opening the door to their apartment wide. "Mayer, this is Harriet Thomas, Jenna's mother." Mr. Jacobs walked up and shook her hand with his free one. 

"Pleased to have you for dinner," he said with a smile. "Why don't you come on in and meet the family?" Mrs. Thomas stepped humbly into the home to find herself greeted by four unfamiliar faces.

"Mom, this is Jack Kelly, the most famous newsie of all time," Jenna said, pointing to Jack.

"Pleased ta meet ya," he mumbled, nodding.

"And these are the Jacobs, Sarah, Davey, and Les," she said, motioning toward the other three.

"You're Toothpick's mother who's gonna die?" Les asked after a period of silence.

"Les!" Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs and Sarah both cried shockingly in unison.

"Yes, Les," Jenna's mother said softly. "Wait, what? Toothpick?"

* * *

The meal went wonderfully. Everyone took an immediate liking to Mrs. Thomas and found that she was jus like the rest of them. She laughed and enjoyed life just as any normal human being would. She wasn't scared of death, just of what would happen to Jenna after she was gone. Jenna was too stubborn and crafty to stay in an orphanage. Maybe the Jacobs would take her in. The discussion took many twists and turns until finally Mrs. Thomas asked Sarah what she did. 

"I work in a sewing factory with many other girls. It's just a few blocks away. I usually just sew at home unless I'm needed there. It's pretty good work," Sarah explained. "Ya know, Jenna, maybe you'd like to come and see the place sometime." She turned to Jenna seated between Jack and Les.

"I ain't workin' there," Jenna said immediately.

"I know, I know, you're too stubborn-" she started

"And she's too good of a newsie," Les added as everyone chuckled.

"You might like to see it through, you could meet my friends," Sarah suggested. Jenna knew her mother would kill her for being so rude and not taking the offer so she agreed.

* * *

"So this is the factory," Sarah announced as she and Jenna marched through the door of the large factory filled with huge machines belching smoke into the air outside. 

"You work here?" Jenna cried over the roar of the machines.

"Yeah!" she shouted back. "Only occasionally, mostly I come in to give them the things I've sewn and get yarn and new sewing assignments, what's on demand and stuff. I work here packaging when some girls are sick."

"I didn't think the shops was like this," Jenna admitted.

"It depends on where you work," she replied. "Plus, we're all girls here." Jenna nodded.

"Sarah!" came a loud cry from across the room. Suddenly a little body was in the girl's arms. It was a much younger girl, about nine or ten, with light brown tresses and two silk ribbons streaming behind her. They were light green to match her eyes.

"Hey, I've missed you," Sarah said as the girl pulled away to look into Sarah's eyes.

"You could come around more often, you know," the girl replied.

"I know, I know. Hey, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine," Sarah said, turning to Jenna. "This is Jenna Thomas, the first girl newsie." The girl turned to her and smiled.

"Hi, Jenna, I'm Connie," she said.

_Connie? I've heard that name before._

"Connie…?" she asked.

"Connie Conlon," the girl replied.

_Connie Conlon! Spot's sister!_


	15. Harmonicas

Well, here's the next chappie. Hope you enjoy:) Things are starting to speed up, rapidly. One note here.

GinevratheNewsElf: Connie is not a newsie because she and Spot were separated when Connie was three years old. They were both in an orphanage after their parents died and Spot ran away from the orphanage. Spot mentions in the second chapter he is in. I think it's chapter 6 - "Discovery."

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Jenna wasn't a fast learner. She could teach reading to Mush with the greatest of ease but firing a slingshot was a different story. Spot was surprisingly patient with her, however. The one thing that she struggled with was steadying her arm for an accurate shot. She was fiercely frustrated whereas Spot couldn't be more pleased. Her slow learning enabled him to have more time with, just the two of them. He was getting closer and closer to the point where he could make his move, and today was the day. He had been scared to even touch her at first; he would show her with examples. He had gradually worked his way to adjusting her arm positions and such.

"Five out of eight, better," he said, watching the last bottle break. "But ya had six yesterday, were ya just lucky or somethin'?"

"No, I-I gotta lotta stuff on me mind, dat's all," she said.

"Anythin' I can do?" he asked, approaching her slowly.

"W-well, I don't know, i-it was sorta about you," she replied.

"Well, I've been thinkin' 'bout you too, Jenna," he said, face inches from hers. This was strange, he never called her "Jenna," none of the newsies did. It was always "Toothpick."

"Spot?" she questioned, completely confused. This conversation was not going where she had planned it to go. She had hoped to bring up the subject of his sister.

"Shh," he whispered, tenderly drawing her body into his. She was too stunned to do anything as his lips touched hers. His lips against hers didn't, however, bring upon the emotion of love as he had hoped. Jenna felt the sensation of sheer longing with all of her heart. She longed to be caressed by Racetrack, not Spot Conlon.

"Spot!" she cried, tearing away from him. "What is this?"

"Oh, Jenna, I love you," he breathed.

"Spot, I-I wasn't talking about love," she said.

"You weren't?" he asked.

"No, I was tryin' ta tell you that I've found your sista," she explained. "I don't have feelings for you, Spot, I'm sorry." He just stared at her blankly.

"M-me sista?" he muttered finally.

"Yes," she sighed.

"Connie?" he demanded.

"Yes," she repeated.

"Where?" he questioned as a huge grin spread across Jenna's features. "Where, Toothpick?"

* * *

"Spot?" came Connie's tiny voice. 

"Connie?" he whispered.

"Spot!" she cried, rushing toward him.

"Connie!" he shouted, arms wide open as she fell into them. She cried her heart out with joy. It had been six years since the two had seen each other. Spot held her tight to him, never letting her go, afraid he might lose her. Tears began to form in his eyes too but never released.

"Why did you leave me, Spot?" she asked between sobs.

"You were so young and I didn't know how ta take care of you, but I know that's no excuse. I'm so sorry, Connie," he murmured. "But we'll never be apart ever again, I promise."

"Spot!" she cried, as a fresh flow of tears flooded her eyes. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. Jenna and Sarah just watched, tears streaming down Sarah's face as Jenna just smiled sweetly. She wasn't flustered by Spot's earlier actions either. He had been infatuated with her, he didn't love her. Now that he had his sister, though, she had a feeling that he'd be paying a lot less attention to her.

* * *

"Hey, Race," Jenna said casually, walking up to Racetrack who sat on the steps to the newsies' boarding house. He had been playing his harmonica and quickly removed it from his lips as Jenna approached. 

"Oh, hey, Toothpick," he said.

"You play da harmonica?" she asked, glancing at the small silver instrument in his hand.

"Oh, yeah," he muttered, taking one look at the horrid instrument.

_Oh, great, she probably thinks I'm an idiot for playin' da harmonica._ He thought.

"Really? I haven't met anyone yet who plays it too," she said, sliding her own out of her right hand pocket. Racetrack was completely stunned. "Me dad used ta play and he taught me. Left this to me when he died." She smiled. Raising the harmonica to her lips she began to play the tune "Buffalo Gals" and Racetrack soon joined in.

"Ya ain't bad, Toothpick," he said.

"You ain't bad yourself," she replied, returning the complement. They played another quick tune and then Jenna waved and went on her way.

_He plays the harmonica._ She thought, her heart racing.

_She plays the harmonica_. Racetrack thought as he watched her waltz off into the night. There was a connection now. Something more than papers that they saw eye to eye on. From that day on they would meet together, just the two of them, and play a few songs together. Then Jenna would hurry off to fix supper for her dying mother and be off again to help Must. He had been improving so much that they might not be meeting for much longer.


	16. Mush's Goil

Well, things are starting to heat up. Things will be speeding up a little more and then it'll be winding down. I predict at least five more chappies but I'm not completely sure. Enjoy and R&R, PLEASE! Thanks to all of those who do:) I love hearing from all of y'all! Oh, sorry to everyone about that little spelling error at the end of the last one. I noticed right after I posted. LOL. :) Notes.

SakiSaki: Yes, I had to incorporate the harmonica! I hope many besides you enjoyed that. I think I know where you're going with things working at a little too well but I'm about to put real conflict into the story, not just this chappie, although this has a little. I don't know, I hope you'll enjoy the rest. There is more to it, if that's what you're looking for.

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"Well, Mush, that's it. You've loined all I can teach ya," Jenna sighed pleasurably, pleased that she was able to teach Mush all she knew, which was quite a bit.

"Really?" he asked, seeming a bit disappointed.

"Yep," she replied. "What's a matter? You don't look happy."

"Well, uh, there's somethin' I've been meanin' ta do ever since we started," he said, cupping her chin in his hand. His approach was slow, unlike Spot's. She didn't pull away though; oddly enough she allowed his lips to cover hers. Pulling away softly, he gazed into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts.

"Mush," she breathed.

"Jenna, I've admired ya ever since ya came and if you'll let me I can show ya how much," he said softly.

"Mush, are you implying that we-" she started.

"Yeah," he interrupted. She just stared at him. Mush was a nice boy, one who truly cared for her. Being his girl wouldn't be such a bad thing. She loved Racetrack but it seemed impossible that she could have him. She might grow to love Mush if she tried. She still got that longing feeling whenever his lips touched hers but maybe that would do away in time.

"Yes, Mush, I'll be your goil," she said softly as a sickening feeling came over her.

* * *

"So ya got Toothpick after all," Jack chuckled as Mush waltzed into the boarding house that night, spewing the good news out of his mouth as if he were drunk. 

"Ya hear that, Race?" Mush cried happily.

"I hoid, I hoid," he muttered.

"Ya don't seem too happy for me. You're me best pal, I thought you would be," Mush said, confused at how Racetrack was acting, slumped over, sitting on the edge of his bunk, head in his hands.

"I'm happy for ya, all right?" he shouted suddenly, leaping up from the bed. The rest of the newsies just stared, utter silence falling over the building. "I'm goin' out for a smoke." He grabbed his cigar and stormed out.

"I wonder what's buggin' Race," Jack said.

"No idea," Kid Blink shrugged.

"Ah, don't worry, Mush, he's probably just got somethin' on his mind," Skittery said, slapping him on the back.

_I think I know what's wrong. _Crutchy thought as he watched the boy tear down the stairs.

* * *

"Race, what are you doin' down here this time a night?" Tommy asked when he spotted Racetrack hanging over the face in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the current race. 

"Nuttin'," he muttered, taking another drag on his cigar.

"Come on, something's eatin' at ya," Tommy insisted.

"Jenna said yes to Mush," he said softly.

"Really?" came Tommy's reply.

"Yeah," was his reply.

"So how ya doin'?" Tommy asked.

"I hate him, Tommy!" Racetrack cried. "I hate him." He clenched his fists, sorrow and anger flowing over his body all at the same time. It hurt him to be angry with Mush. They had been best friends since Mush had joined the newsies. Mush also didn't know how he felt, he had no idea that Racetrack was in love with Jenna as well. He couldn't help but be angry with him, as if he should have known or as if he shouldn't have had those feelings for her. Spot had had them too but he had gone back to Brooklyn with his sister. More sorrow filled his heart just when he thought of Jenna alone. She was so kind and beautiful.

"I don't know what ta say ta ya that will make ya feel any better," Tommy said finally.

"I don't think ya can," Racetrack replied gloomily.

* * *

"Hey, Toothpick, wait up!" Crutchy cried, hobbling as fast as he could down the street to catch up with her before she rushed home. 

"Crutchy!" she cried, her face brightening as she looked upon the boy. She was always glad to see Crutchy.

"Hey, congratulations on you and Mush," he said.

"Oh, thanks," she said, voice dropping a bit.

"You ain't happy about it?" he asked, almost as if he had expected this reply.

"I will be," she said optimistically.

"But ya ain't right now?" he questioned.

"No, not really," she muttered.

"Why'd ya say yes then?" Crutchy asked.

"Because I hope I can loin to love Mush," she said.

"Why not just love him right off?" he asked. "I don't understand."

"Because I love Racetrack!" she shouted heatedly.

"What?" Crutchy breathed.

"I love Racetrack, okay, Crutchy? He'd never love me though, so I guess bein' wid Mush is a way for me to get over Race and try ta fall in love at da same time," she explained.

"Do ya think it's right ta use Mush like dat?" Crutchy questioned.

"I ain't usin' him if I end up really fallin' in love wid him!" she cried, storming off down the street.

_Oh, Jenna, if ya could see dat Race is beatin' himself up over you._


	17. The Shot

Well, this is one of my longer chappies. Just read it and review, I'm would give you a little hint but I just don't want to give anything away, so I'm not going to say anything. You'll see after you read what I'm talking about. Something for all of you to know, my parents are going to Germany and I'm staying with my grandparents. Good except for the fact that I have no internet connection over there. I won't be able to post for the next week, so you'll have to hang on. What a bad place to end it for a week. Sorry. LOL. Notes!

molly: Nope this isn't the end, it's getting there but definately at least three more chappies, probably more, more than likely.

elleestJenn: Be patient, I'm getting to her mother. You'll see, she will be coming up very soon, probably in the next two chappies. Don't worry.

SakiSaki: LOL! I got a kick out of your last review about the nickname for your friend. That's hilarious! Thanks for making me laugh:)

Calzino: I promise a happy ending. LOL. Racetrack is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE so don't you be worrying, LOL.

Rebelchic17: I thought Jack was your man. LOL. Whatever, you switch guys so much I never know. LOL. I ain't usin' Mush, you'll see, just read, will ya? LOL. Luv ya girl! I love how your first fan fic is doing as well. Good start and good job so far! Advice: just don't make it too long, but not too short either. LOL. :)

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"Race, Race, Racetrack!" Jenna cried, standing outside the door of the boarding house.

"What is it, Toothpick?" Kloppman asked, walking intothe doorway. Even Kloppman, the man who ran the boarding house, knew "Toothpick" even though she couldn't possibly board there.

"Where's Race, is he there?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm here," Racetrack said, evaporating from Kloppman's shadow.

"Is somethin' wrong, Race?" she asked as the two stepped out on the porch and Kloppman disappeared into the other room.

"What would make ya say dat?" he asked.

"Well, ya always meet me here to play and, well, ya know," she stammered.

"I figured you'd be wid Mush," he muttered.

"I wouldn't miss playin' wid you, it's my favorite part of the da day," she replied with a sweet smile that made Racetrack want to melt right there. Her favorite part of the day? Was she putting him on? Then again, why would she? She had a boyfriend now; she had no reason to be fake.

"All right, let's play," he said finally, pulling his harmonica out of his vest pocket. The two sat on the steps just putting their heart and soul into the music. "Thanks, Toothpick." This came after they had finished playing. She nodded. Neither of them moved. She didn't want to break this moment where she felt complete. Whether he loved her or not she felt safe and warm. The two just say there in silence for a while.

"Racetrack, if you could have anythin' in da world what would it be?" she asked suddenly. He just stared at her, looking both confused and shocked at her question.

"What?" she questioned.

"What do ya want the most, I mean, what do ya dream about?" she explained, gazing up at the stars.

"Where did dis come from?" he asked.

"I dunno," she shrugged. "I just wanna know, I guess."

"You're gonna think it's stupid," he said ashamedly.

"No I'm not, I promise," she assured him. With a heavy sigh he nodded.

"I want a permanent box down at da racetrack," he muttered. "I just love it down there; it's so peaceful but yet full a excitement, uh, yeah, like I said, stupid."

"That ain't stupid, Race," she said softly.

"How 'bout you?" he questioned. Just as she was about to open her mouth Mush walked up.

"Hey, Jenna," he said, climbing the steps, bending over, and kissing her lips softly. Racetrack turned away, too disgusted to even look at Mush.

"Mush," she sighed as he pulled away.

"I'll be turnin' in, 'night Toothpick," Racetrack said as he stood up and entered the boarding house, giving Mush one piercing look.

"'Night Racetrack," she returned as he huffed up the stairs.

* * *

Racetrack was just about to loose it completely. Every time he even glanced at Mush a fire would be flamed in his heart. He hated Mush and he hated himself even worse. He couldn't bring himself to hate Jenna. She continued to meet him every night and play the harmonica but eventually it brought him no joy at all, it only hurt him to know she was so near but he couldn't have her. One day he snap, but little did he know then that consequences. They were standing in the square, Racetrack, Mush, Jack, Davey, Kid Blink, and the others, basically every newsie except for Jenna Crutchy, and Les. Mush was telling the boys about the last night with Jenna. 

"Just shut up, will ya?" Racetrack shouted finally, whipping around and punching Mush square in the jaw as hard as he could.

"Gaw lee, Race, what was that for?" he cried, hand immediately moving to his jaw. All of the other newsies just stared, shocked. Racetrack could get violent when angry but he had never hit Mush intentionally, the two were best friends, or so they thought. Sure, he had acted a little hostile lately but they thought it wasn't that big of a deal. They were quickly discovering the opposite.

"Shut up 'bout Jenna!" he cried.

"Race, what's your problem?" Jack asked.

"You can shut up too!" he shouted, punching Jack a little lighter in the stomach.

* * *

"Jenna!" came a tiny cry as a little body hurtled toward the girl, falling into her arms. 

"Connie!" Jenna exclaimed, utterly shocked. "What in da world are ya doin' here?"

"I missed you and Sarah," she said, pulling away. "And I didn't get to thank you for giving my brother back." Jenna smirked.

"Where's Spot?" she questioned, looking off in the distance.

"Right here, Toothpick," he said, coming around the corner with Sarah close behind.

"So dis is Spot's sista?" Crutchy said as he and Les just stared at Connie as Jenna nodded.

"Hey, uh, Crutchy, why don't you and Les show Sarah and Connie exactly what it's like to be a newsie?" Jenna suggested, winking at Sarah and Crutchy. Crutchy nodded and the four walked off.

"So, uh, how's it goin'?" Spot asked.

"All right, you?" she replied. He nodded in affirmation.

"So, is everythin' all right between us?" he questioned after a period of silence.

"Yeah," she said with a sweet smile. In a wave of emotion she fell into his arms. Any other time the boy would have rejected the action but he didn't this time. He held her tight in assurance of something he didn't even know.

* * *

One punch had turned into an all out brawl. The boys were throwing punches in every direction, not caring who they hit. The police were soon on the scene. The first whipped out his gun and shot once in the air but it hardly did a thing. The only thing the boys could hear was the noise of their own insults. Jenna, Crutchy, and Les were in wonderful spirits only to have them plummet when they came upon the scene. 

It was so fast she almost missed it, and she wished she had. Specs bumped into the police man just as he was about to put his gun away. In an impulse he pulled the trigger, shooting the first thing he saw.

"Jack!" Jenna screamed at the top of her lungs, falling to her knees in the middle of the street, pulling Crutchy down with her.


	18. The Story

Well, I'm back. Sorry for keeping you all on a string like that. LOL. But now I'm back and you can read the next chappie. And here it is. Notes!

SakiSaki: Yes, cliffhanger much. LOL. And I LOVE the scenes with Race and Jenna as well. Thanks for the last comment, I enjoyed it thoroughly. LOL. Oh, and I don't think you sound like a sap for liking the scene between Race and Jenna either. LOL. Just had to tell you that. :)

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Jenna fell into Crutchy's arms, tears flowing down her cheeks, holding onto Crutchy for dear life. The street was completely silent and everything was still. The police man couldn't move; he was in utter shock at what he had just done. His eyes were actually focused on Jenna. The pain in her face was too much to handle; it left him frozen.

"Jack!" Les shouted, tears now pouring down his face as he rushed in the direction of the struggling body in the street.

"No, Les!" Jenna screamed, grabbing the little boy by the scruff of his shirt and pulling him back. She pulled him into her chest as he sobbed. Crutchy just held the two in his arms as they shook with sorrow, that is until the police man came to his senses and began to approach Jack. Jenna then leapt up, leaving Crutchy to console Les, and ran to Jack's side.

"Don't you touch him!" she screamed at the man, falling to Jack's side, anger and sorrow in her eyes as she stared up at the man.

"Miss-" he started.

"Don't touch him!" she shouted. "You've done enough!"

"We need to get him to a hospital immediately," the man said, knowing she wasn't looking for an apology right now.

"We'll take him, just leave us alone!" she cried.

"You're payin' for da bill, Mister," Racetrack said suddenly.

"Of course," he replied. "I'll go there now."

"You'd better hope he lives!" Jenna shouted after him. "Oh, Jack!" She took his head in her arms and began to rock back and forth, repeating his name continuously. Mush slowly approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder, gently joining her on the ground.

"I'm gonna be all right, Toothpick," Jack managed to say.

"Oh, Jack, you can't die, you just can't die," she moaned.

"It takes more than just a…bullet…to do in…Jack Kelly," he breathed, struggling as he winced in pain. His blood was splattered all over the street and continued to flow from a hole in his left arm. She closed her eyes and her lip quivered as she released more tears. She laid his head down in her lap and began to unbutton his shirt to have a look at the wound.

"Oh, Jack!" she cried, turning away and burying her head in Mush's shirt. "I, I just can't do this. Get him to the hospital, now!" Mush gently took Jack's left arm and helped him up as the rest of the newsies joined him, Racetrack coming up right next to him as a sign of friendship which Mush gladly took.

Jenna rushed off, speeding past Crutchy and Les as they looked after her curiously. Racetrack looked at her once, a strand of hair flowing out from under her hat. It was strange, her reaction. Everyone was shocked to speechlessness, except for her and Les. Les was understandable, he was young and his emotions were basically uncontrollable, but not Jenna. Sure, she was a girl and they were more emotional, but crying didn't seem like something he thought she would do, especially not in public. There was definitely something more to this than Jack or the rest of the newsies.

* * *

_Come on, Jenna, get a hold of yourself, you've got to calm down so you can tell Sarah, she needs to know._

Jenna ran through the streets, head in her hand, stumbling over small rocks in the road. Finally she collapsed upon a bench and wept her heart out.

_Dad died that way.

* * *

_"What?" Sarah cried, staring at Jenna's tearstained face.

"We've got to go now, to the hospital!" Jenna choked, trying not to cry again, grabbing Sarah by the arm and pulling her through the doorway as Connie and Spot came to the door.

"What's goin' on?" Spot asked.

"Jack's been shot and we're goin' to da hospital," Jenna said hurriedly.

"Shot?" Connie whispered. She didn't know anything except that Jack had led the huge newspaper strike last year and Spot had mentioned him once or twice since their reunion. No matter whom he was it horrified her to learn someone had been shot.

"Jack?" Spot repeated in shock as Jenna nodded.

"You comin'?" she asked, turning back around to see Connie latch onto her brother's arm as the two followed.

* * *

"Spot?" Kid Blink questioned as the four approached the group of newsies standing outside the hospital. "I thought ya went back to Brooklyn. Is this your sister?" 

"Yeah," he replied. "She missed Sarah and Toothpick so we're here for a bit."

"Jenna told us about Jack, how is he?" Sarah demanded.

"Well, we don't know," Skittery muttered. "Davey, Les, Mush, and Race are in there wid him."

"I've gotta see him," Sarah said.

"I'll take ya," Boots offered softly as she nodded and followed him into the hospital, Spot and Connie following as well.

"Aren't you coming?" Sarah asked Jenna, turning around for a split second.

"N-no," she said softly, backing away. She wasn't ready yet, not yet. Crutchy came up behind her and pulled her around to face him just as tears were starting to well up in her eyes. "Crutchy!" He wrapped his arms around her delicately and she graciously accepted his embrace.

"It'll be all right, Jenna," he assured her.

"I don't believe that, not anymore," she said. "Not unless I see it, you see, that's the way me dad died. I never talk about his death because it hurts too much." She squeezed Crutchy tighter as the rest of the newsies began to gather around to help console her. Snipeshooter wrapped his arms around her waist and Kid Blink placed an arm around her shoulders. Skittery and Specs stood close, ready to hold her.

"What happened?" Snipeshooter asked finally.

"H-he took a bullet for a man who didn't get a fair trial. He was innocent and the jury said guilty, so he ran from the police. Dad knew he was innocent. It was all an accident, just like…Jack," she breathed, shaking with sobs.


	19. Joy and Sorrow

Well, this story is coming to the end, this isn't the end, just to let you know, but it's nearing a close. I hope you enjoy! Notes!

SakiSaki: Yes, I have seen West Side Story, I own it. I love that movie! It's great. I did realize that those lines came from that musical. LOL. :)

Rebelchic17: I made you cry? Sweet! LOL. You know I go for that stuff. LOL. :)

elleestJenn: I answered this question/comment before, on the whole switching back and forth from Jenna to Toothpick thing. I write her as Jenna so signify her difference and how she still feels different from the other newsies. The newsies refer to her as Toothpick on a friendly level. If you see a newsie refer to her as Jenna it's suggesting that they're feeling something more than friendship, like love, or a sincere care for that person, like with Crutchy.

Racetrack's Goil: I myself don't find Jenna much of a Mary Sue. I haven't had anyone else mention this, if I had I would take this comment more into account. I think I've made her enough of a rounded character. It is true that I have everyone liking her, but I don't think that's so unbelieveable, and I didn't find her flat, but I guess I could be wrong. Thanks for the comment and I'll take this into consideration. I'm glad you like the basic plot, keep reading if you choose too. Also, your comment was only on chappie 1, you may learn more as you read on, of course I have no way of knowing how much you've read based on the chappie comment, so, okay, I'm rambling. LOL. :) Thanks for your contructive critizism whatever I choose to do with it, I do appriciate them and don't take offense to them unless they are blatantly meant to offend me, and believe me, I've received those on other stories where I really do have Mary Sues. :) Not fun. :( Anyway, thanks:)

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"Sarah," Jack breathed as he saw the girl rush to his bedside.

"Jack!" she cried, rushing to his bedside and kneeling beside it, tears bursting from her eyes for the first time up the sight of the poor boy lying in the hospital bed.

"Sarah," Davey whispered, putting a hand on her shivering shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Les gathered around her as well and she held him tight with one arm, the other resting on the bed, hand on top of Jack's.

"It's all right, Sarah, I promise, it's only a shot in da arm," he assured her.

"Oh, Jack!" she wailed. Mush and Racetrack just stood there, feeling uncomfortable.

"Where's Toothpick?" Jack questioned.

"Outside," Sarah replied shakily.

"Jack," came a voice from outside. In walked Spot, Connie clutching onto his shirt.

"Spot," Jack said. "What are you doin' here?"

"Connie missed Sarah and Toothpick so we came back for a bit," Spot replied.

"So dis is Connie," Jack said, looking down upon the trembling girl.

"Yeah," he said. Jack smiled softly and Connie offered a quivering smirk. "What happened?"

"Just a shot in da arm," Jack shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ya gonna be okay?" Spot questioned.

"Yeah, fine, the docs are takin' out da bullet in a minute and I gotta wear a sling for a while, dat's all," Jack replied. "Don't worry, Sarah, I'm gonna be all right."  
"I hope so, Jack, I don't know what I'd do if you died," she cried.

"It's just a shot in da arm, Sarah, nothin' fatal," he assured her. "Nobody died of a shot in da arm."

"Y-you're right," she sniffled, pulling her head away from the bedside where her face had been buried in the sheets. "I'm sorry, Jack, it's just, if I were to loose you, I don't know what I'd do. I love you so much."

* * *

"Where's Jenna?" Mush asked immediately as he and Racetrack came out of the hospital to meet a sea of faces. 

"She went home. The poor thing was exhausted," Crutchy explained.

"We have some good news, I wish she was here so we could tell her too," Racetrack said.

"What is it?" Boots demanded. He had led Sarah, Spot, and Connie to the hospital room and then gone back outside to join the newsies.

"Jack's gonna be fine, they're takin' out the bullet and he's gonna be in a sling for a while. Good ol' Jack's actually glad, says it's a great sympathy act," Racetrack explained with a chuckle. The rest of the newsies joined in, that would be Jack's way of thinking.

* * *

Jenna's cry should have been loud enough to wake all of New York. It was surprising that the newsies didn't hear it. She knew it was coming; she just wanted to know why now. The pain was just too much for her and whereas minutes ago she had thought she had not another tear left in her body now there were too many. Her face was a pool of salty tears. First Jack and now this. She had fallen into her apartment to see her mother's figure sprawled on the bed, more pale than she had ever seen it. 

"Mom, Mom," she started, eyes widening when she realized the truth. "Mom!" She fell to her knees in a violently shaking heap. "I was so close! I almost had the money, Mom, I almost had it!"

Her thoughts weren't for herself, where she would live, how she would get by; they were for her mother. She felt pitiful. She was so close. In reality she couldn't have done a thing, it wouldn't have helped, her mother was too far into the cancer, but it was the feeling of despair that came over her. She knew it wasn't her fault; it was inevitable that it would happen. She rushed out of the apartment, running as far away as she could before she collapsed on the doorstep of an abandoned house and wept her heart out.

* * *

Both Racetrack and Mush were looking for Jenna. Racetrack knew she was Mush's girl but it was their usual harmonica time and if she was too upset to play with him he'd play for her. Mush was looking for her for the simple reason that she was his girlfriend. Racetrack, however, found her first. 

"Toothpick!" he cried, rushing up to her limp body on the broken down doorstep. "Toothpick." He took her in his arms as she began to sob into his shirt. "Don't worry 'bout Jack, Toothpick, the doc says he's gonna be fine." Unfortunately this information would no longer stop her tears.

"Oh, Racetrack!" she wept.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? This ain't about Jack anymore, is it?" he said, lightly stroking her hair. She shook her head violently.

"M-Mon," she managed to utter. This was all Racetrack needed to hear.

"Oh, Jenna," he breathed, holding her tighter and closer.

"Racetrack," she cried, unable to say anything else.

"Shh," he whispered.

"Racetrack, why?" she choked, barely breathing, gasping for air.

"I don't know, Jenna," he replied, about to cry himself. Her shivering body, her broken wail, and her beet red face were too much for him to stand. The pain he knew she was feeling was horrible but not nearly as horrible as the fact that he knew there wasn't anything he could do.

"What am I gonna do?" she demanded.

"I, I don't know," he muttered ashamedly. "Oh, Jenna, please don't' cry; I, I can't stand it when you cry." She sniffled and gradually began to stop shaking, pulling away to look into his eyes.

"Why?" she asked. This was the moment, he had to tell her, there wouldn't be another chance like this if he was given an eternity.

"B-because I love you," he said.

"W-what?" she breathed, not believing the words she had just heard.

"I love you," he repeated in a whisper, feeling so ashamed.

"R-Racetrack," she said softly, falling gently back into his arms, head resting on his chest. Beneath it she could hear his heart beating a mile a minute. "I love you, too."

He drew away as she pulled away too. He stared deep into her eyes, somehow questioning her words. She had no conceivable reason to utter those words if she didn't mean them; she had a boyfriend. There was no lie in her eyes and they slowly came together, faces centimeters from the other. His lips brushed against hers gently and then connected. It wasn't anything like she had dreamed it'd be; it was better. She didn't know exactly what feeling she had hoped to attain but whatever it was she got it. Racetrack's lips brought no sense of longing as Spot's and Mush's did. She felt complete for that span of time. The fact that her mother had died that day seemed not to exist when their lips were touching. She felt safe and protected from the horrors all around her. As they pulled apart she brought him back into her.

"No, don't," she whispered breathlessly. The second their lips were apart she had felt a horrible longing. The reality that her mother was dead came back stronger than ever. The vision of Jack lying in the street, blood flowing from his arm, consumed her thoughts. Racetrack held her close and when they finally pulled away again she felt a little better.

"Jenna," he breathed in his heavy Brooklyn accent. She felt shivers run up and down her spine as he said it. He gently began to remove her hat and as he did so her long wavy locks fell right into place around her torso. "Why don't ya ever wear your hair down? I love it." He ran his fingers through her silky hair, cupping his hand around her right cheek.

"I'll have ta tell Mush," she whispered. Racetrack suddenly sat upright, the revelation coming over him like a stomachache. "Don't worry." She placed her hand gently upon his. "Everything will be all right."

* * *

"Mush! Mush!" Jenna cried as she ran up to the boy who had been anxiously searching for her. 

"Jenna!" he cried, arms wide open. She didn't rush into them though, just looked solemnly at him.

"Mush, I, I have somethin' ta tell ya," she said. He already had a hunch where this was going before she started. "I, I don't love you, I love Race, and I always will." Mush just stood there as if in a daze.

"I guess I always know," he said softly.

"Oh, Mush," she said sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, so sorry."

"No, it's all right, I guess I knew it could never be the way I wanted," he said.

"Mush!" she cried, falling into his arms. She wanted to cry to show her extreme apology but she just couldn't. He stroked her hair gently to let her know everything was all right between them.

"It's all right, Toothpick, it's all right," he assured her soothingly.


	20. The Tracks

Well, this is the second to last chappie. I hope you're all liking it and have enjoyed it. This is a just a little chapter to show the evolution of Jenna and Racetrack's relationship before the last chappie, so it's a bit slow but I think it's relevent. Anyway, thanks for reading everyone! Notes!

elleestJenn: You're right, it was a bit fast. I didn't want it to seem like Jenna didn't care about Mush in the least, but I also didn't want her to be the character that sugar coats things. She had to tell Mush somehow. It was a little too soon, you're right, but I'm trying to wrap up the story and I had to put it in there soon because waiting until the next chappie would be too long, you know?

SakiSaki: I'm glad you enjoyed that scene, I was actually thinking of you when I wrote it. LOL. I was like "SakiSaki is going to love this." LOL. Anyway, yeah, it was a bit redundant but I used the "Oh...!" for effect. LOL. Drama, I guess. LOL. :) Oh, and I've never seen Rocky Horrow Picture Show, heard about it though.

* * *

**Chapter 20**

All of the newsies attended the funeral, Racetrack with an arm around Jenna and Jack with a sling around his shoulder. Sarah and Crutchy stood on either side of her, Les and Connie wrapped around her legs. Spot and Mush stood nearby with Davey and Jack and Kid Blink and the rest stood surrounding her. She felt unusually calm and didn't shed a tear. It wasn't just Racetrack, but the fact that the rest of the newsies were there as well. She had a family here. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs were there, Mrs. Jacobs in tears, Mr. Jacobs holding her close. After the funeral they approached Jenna.

"Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Jacobs said, wiping her eyes and sniffling.

"It's all right," Jenna replied plainly.

"Where will you live now, Jenna? Do you have any plans?" Mr. Jacobs asked.

"N-no, Sir," she replied unsteadily. For the past few nights she had slept on the steps in front of the boarding house. Kloppman would even lend her a pillow and blanket. "But I'll make it."

"You certainly will," Mrs. Jacobs said with a determined expression on her brow. Jenna was confused until she elaborated. "Jenna, we want to adopt you. I know it's sudden but this is what your mother wanted and even if she hadn't mentioned anything we'd still be making you the offer, we can't leave someone we consider a daughter out on the streets."

Jenna just stood there in a daze. Part of her wanted to refuse; she was old enough to take care of herself. Another part of her wanted to agree with them. Her mother and father would main with her always but she would still be happy. Her parents wouldn't want her to be miserable without them. Her mother had wanted exactly this.

"Mrs. Jacobs, I would love to become a member of your family," Jenna said.

* * *

Jenna went from calling them "Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs" to "Esther" and "Mayer." It would take a little longer for her to be able to call them "Mom" and "Dad" but it would come gradually. She moved her bed and mother's rocking chair into the Jacobs' house, along with the pictures of both her father and mother. Jenna Thomas was now Jenna Jacobs. She didn't feel broken inside upon taking on the new name. It was merely a symbol of change, change her parents would approve of, in fact wanted. Jack and Racetrack were now regulars in the house for supper. Spot and Connie occasionally dropped by from Brooklyn. Everything was right. Jenna and Mush were fine and still very good friends, he had actually met a girl recently named Samantha who he affectionately referred to as "Sam."

* * *

"So this is the track, huh?" Jenna questioned as Racetrack led her down the street to the tracks that were so familiar to him. 

"Yep," he replied plainly. "But this is just where I waste me money; the real place to be is inside da stables." He opened the door to the huge barn and in they walked.

"Oh, Race!" she cried breathlessly. "It's, it's-"

"Amazin', huh?" he said with a smile, grinning as he watched the expression on her face.

He went through and showed her all the horses. Her favorite was Misty, named because of her coat and the fact that she was like a mist when she ran, there one minute and done the next, like Smokey. He took her to his favorite spot in the loft and after a while she fell asleep on his shoulder. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead gently. Suddenly Tommy waltzed in whistling and Racetrack sat straight up. Jenna stirred but didn't wake. Tommy could see the papers lying on the floor and since Racetrack was no where to be seen he began to climb the ladder to the loft. There sat Racetrack, Jenna close by.

"T-Tommy, it's not how it looks!" Racetrack cried immediately before Tommy had a chance to even give a look.

"And what does it look like, Race?" he teased.

"You shut up," he sighed.

"So, this is Jenna?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Racetrack breathed.

"Oh, she's a find, Race, just look at dat red hair," Tommy remarked, staring at Jenna's beautiful red hair flashing until the golden sunlight seeping in through the slits between the wooden ceiling.

"Told ya," Racetrack said. Jenna stirred and her eyes fluttered open to see Racetrack's face staring into hers gently. "Good morning." He chuckled. She sighed and rubbed her eyes to see Tommy staring at her through her fuzzy vision. She drew back quickly just like a snake as the two boys just laughed harder.

"It's okay, Jenna," Tommy laughed good naturedly. "I'm Tommy, the caretaker for the horses. Race's been talkin' 'bout you for months. Now I finally get to meet you." Jenna's face was bright red but when she turned to at Racetrack she found his face the exact same shade.

* * *

"So, he really loves it down here, huh?" Jenna said, standing beside Tommy as they watched the current race from the barn, Racetrack ahead of them leaning against the fence. Tommy took a grad on his cigarette and nodded. 

"Yep, sure does," he mumbled.

"So how did you get here?" she questioned curiously, turning to look at him.

"I've always loved horses and me pa used ta work here. When Pa died they told me they would house and feed me if I stayed on, seein' as I was good with the horses, so I did," Tommy explained. "Pretty simple."

"I can see why you two like it," Jenna said softly. "It's so peaceful." He nodded. "But ya know what, there's one thing I just hate."

"What's that?" Tommy asked, surprised at her sudden change in tone.

"I hate the way he smokes like that," she said, nodding toward the figure of Racetrack puffing away on his cigar.

"Well, I do it too," Tommy shrugged, taking another drag.

"I noticed," she muttered sarcastically with a slight smirk as he looked down at her and grinned too.

* * *

"So, did ya like da tracks?" Racetrack asked as the two walked down the street, his arm over Jenna's shoulders. 

"Oh, I loved it," she sighed contentedly. He smiled and leaned in to touch her lips lightly. They stopped walking as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She removed his hat slowly and ran one hand through his dark hair, the thing she had dreamed of from the beginning. It was smooth and light, comforting to the touch.


	21. Dreams Come True

Well, I all hope you have enjoyed this story and please, if you haven't left me any reviews, leave me a review on this chappie to let me know how you enjoyed the ending! It's all mushy and sweet just like you were expecting. LOL. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I hope to be back later with some more fics, but currently I'm dry on Newsies, so it might be a while. I'll be back though. :)

* * *

**Chapter 21**

"Hey, Toothpick, what are ya doin' down here? You're turnin' into Race," Tommy said, spying Jenna rounding a corner around the stables.

"Huh? Oh, uh, I dunno," she shrugged nervously as Tommy eyed her suspiciously. She offered a huge smile in return to try to convince him she wasn't up to something. It didn't work.

* * *

"Where've ya been the last few days, Toothpick?" Crutchy asked. 

The newsies still referred to her as "Toothpick," everyone except Racetrack, Davey, and Les. Jenna was their sister now so "Jenna" just felt more natural. Racetrack called her "Jenna" because, of course, she was his girlfriend. Tommy had even taken to calling her "Toothpick" after hearing her nickname because he loved it and thought it was just perfect. Jenna wasn't Jenna without a toothpick hanging out of her mouth. Besides smoking, picking his teeth was another of Tommy's habits as well. They now had a deal that every other week Jenna would buy the toothpicks and the week in between it was Tommy's job. Racetrack and Jenna would meet at the tracks now to play their harmonicas and be with each other. She never went there without him though, well, she hadn't until the past week.

"Around," she replied, shrugging.

"Why ain't ya sellin' wid us anymore?" Crutchy asked. "Mr. Jones's been wonderin' 'bout ya, so has everyone else."

"I'll be back tomorrow, I just had stuff ta do," she said, waltzing off down the street as Crutchy and Les stared after her.

"Stuff ta do, huh? She said anythin' at home, Les?" Crutchy asked, looking down at the boy. Les shook his head.

"Nope," he replied. "She's been really su-su-su-"

"Suspicious?" Crutchy offered, chuckling.

"Yeah, that's what Davey and Sarah both say," he said. Crutchy nodded.

* * *

"Your jar's getting pretty full, Jenna," Davey commented, glancing at the glad jar full of coins beside Jenna's bed. 

"I'm gettin' there," she replied.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Ah, nothin'," she sighed.

"Come on, Jenna, what's going on? What are you saving for?" he pried.

"I ain't tellin' ya," she said stubbornly. "I ain't tellin' anybody." Davey sighed and walked away. Jenna smirked.

* * *

"So what's goin' on wid Toothpick?" Tommy asked Racetrack as the two smoked said be side, leaning against the fence. 

"What do ya mean?" he questioned.

"Well, I saw her down here yesterday durnin' da day," Tommy replied.

"Really? What for?" Racetrack asked.

"She wouldn't say," he said. Racetrack looked at him suspiciously.

"What's goin' on?" he asked.

"If I don't even know what she was doin' down here, how would I know what's goin' on?" Tommy retorted with a grin.

* * *

"Hey, Race!" Crutchy called, running up to the boy as they entered the boarding house. 

"Hey, Crutchy," he said, turning around, cigar sticking out his mouth. "What's up?"

"I was just wonderin' if Toothpick's been kinda mysterious around you lately. Everyone else is in da dark," he explained.

"Sorry, it's just as dark wid me, she won't hardly tell me anythin'," Racetrack replied.

"Davey said she's savin' for somethin', she won't say what though," Crutchy said.

"She hasn't even said anythin' ta you?" Racetrack asked.

"Nope," Crutchy said.

"She tells you everythin', if she won't even tell you it must be big," Racetrack said.

_I wonder what's goin' on.

* * *

_"Jenna, where are we goin'?" Racetrack asked. Early that morning she had blindfolded him and led him around the town in circles so he would never be able to figure out where they were going. This was what she had been waiting for. She had finally found a good use for her money.

"Oh, it's time, huh?" a frail voice whispered.

"Sure is, I paid for it yesterday," the girl replied. Jenna then led Racetrack through a turns-dial and down a noisy path. "Ya ready, Race?"

"I've been ready, now get this dang handkerchief out of me eyes," Racetrack replied as she untied it slowly. When his eyes were uncovered he couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was his dream and for a minute he thought her was dreaming until Jenna's voice awoke him.

"I-it's a permanent box down at the races," she whispered happily, tears of jot forming in her eyes.

He was stunned, absolutely speechless. It was real, right there in front of him. He reached out his hand and touched the firm wood, painted in the usual white. It wasn't just a box though; it was right on the sidelines, right in the action alongside the finish-line. There was a package of peanuts in one of the seats and even a sign nailed into the wood with "Anthony Higgins" engraved in it. It was too much and as he whipped around to look at Jenna she saw tears welling up in his eyes.

"J-Jenna," he breathed. "W-what's this for?"

"Do I have to have a reason?" she asked. He couldn't believe it.

"You mean this is for, for nothing?" he exclaimed.

"Not nothing, Race," she said, stepping closer to the boy.

"H-how can I accept this? I mean, what do you want in return?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she replied. He looked at her, amazed. "Well, maybe one thing."

"What? Anything," he said.

"Stop smoking," she said with a smile.

"Done," he agreed, taking his cigar out of his pocket and stomping it into the dirt beneath them. Suddenly he grabbed her around the waist, pulling Jenna into his body as his lips covered hers in love. She held him just as tight, never wanting to be released. His arms held her with a strength that brought comfort, joy, and protection all at once. The love in their hearts soared to heaven and as they stood there, lips locked, there was only one thought in her head.

_Don't you see, Racetrack, you made my dream come true, this was the least I could do. My dream was to be truly loved and accepted, and you, Racetrack, made it come true. I love you._

The End


End file.
